Dietitians plan to join forces to improve patient resources

10 August 2007

Two major food and nutrition organisations are to be merged in the next three years.

The British Dietetic Association (BDA) and the Scottish Nutrition and Diet Resources Initiative (SNDRí) will join together over the next three year period. Honorary Chairman of the BDA, Judith Catherwood, and Project Manager from SNDRí, Leona O'Reilly, made the announcement at the BDA's annual conference in Belfast.

The proposal to join the two organisations is supported by the Scottish Government, which is SNDRí's funding body, and the BDA Council.

Ms Catherwood said, "By joining forces with SNDRí we will become the recognised provider of nutrition and diet resources across the UK by providing a better service for dieticians and other health professionals.

"We also want to grow the provision of first-line diet resources, especially in light of the shift from hospital to community care and the importance of multidisciplinary working. With SNDRí we can also better examine the impact of diet and nutrition resources on individuals? dietary behaviour and their quality of life."

The BDA and SNDRí are not-for-profit organisations. They have a core aim of improving public health through diet.

The BDA was founded in 1936 and is the UK's largest organisation of food and nutrition professionals. There are over 5, 000 members and about two-thirds of its members work within the National Health Service.

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