Question 1

Why work with a gastroenterology specialist dietitian?

Accepted Answer

Gut symptoms are easy to guess at and hard to get right, and there is a great deal of confident, unevidenced advice about them online. Working with a specialist means a few concrete things. The advice you get is evidence-based, and I work in NHS gastroenterology alongside my private practice, so I see how these conditions are managed day to day. I keep up with the testing landscape and can tell you which tests are genuinely useful and which are marketed rather than proven. Dietitian is also a legally protected title, which is not true of every label used by people offering nutrition advice. Nothing I suggest will be extreme — restriction is a tool, not a destination, and the aim is always to widen your diet again safely. And rather than handing you a set of rules, the point is that you finish with a better understanding of your own body and a clear idea of your next step.

Question 2

What are your qualifications?

Accepted Answer

I'm a Registered Dietitian with an MSc in Dietetics from Teesside University, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC number DT034558) and a full member of the British Dietetic Association. Dietitian is a legally protected title in the UK — unlike 'nutritionist', it can only be used by someone HCPC-registered. I currently work as a Gastroenterology Dietitian in the NHS alongside my private practice.

Question 3

What do you work with?

Accepted Answer

Gut health is my specialism: IBS, coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, food intolerances, bloating, reflux and the gut–brain connection. I also work with general healthy eating, energy and building a way of eating that fits your life. I work in NHS gastroenterology alongside my private practice, so this is what I do every day.

Question 4

Do I need a referral from my GP?

Accepted Answer

No. You can book directly with me, and most of my clients do. If your GP, consultant or another healthcare professional has referred you, that's welcome too — just bring any letters or test results with you.

Question 5

Where do sessions take place?

Accepted Answer

Online, by video call on Google Meet — or audio-only if you would rather keep your camera off. You'll get a link once your booking is confirmed. All you need is a quiet, private space and a stable internet connection; most people join from home.

Question 6

I don't live in the UK — can you still see me?

Accepted Answer

In many cases yes, since sessions are online. Get in touch and tell me where you're based and I'll confirm before you book. My professional indemnity insurance doesn't cover clients in the USA or Canada.

Question 7

Do you offer a free call before I commit?

Accepted Answer

Yes — a free 20-minute discovery call. It's a chance to tell me briefly what's going on and for me to say honestly whether I can help and which service would suit you. There's no obligation to book anything afterwards.

Question 8

What's the difference between Ask a Dietitian and an Initial Consultation?

Accepted Answer

Ask a Dietitian (£75, 40 minutes) is a single conversation. We talk through what is going on now, you are welcome to bring a food diary and we will look at it together, and I give you practical advice during the session. Nothing is sent afterwards, so do bring something to make notes on.

An Initial Consultation (£145, 60 minutes) is a full assessment. You complete a health questionnaire and a 5-day food diary beforehand, and I analyse those — along with any recent blood results — before we meet, so the session itself is spent on solutions rather than gathering information. Afterwards you receive a written summary, a personalised meal plan, food lists by category, and a supplement plan with doses and timing.

The simplest way to choose: if you have specific questions you want answered, book Ask a Dietitian. If you want a plan you can follow on your own afterwards, book the Initial Consultation. If you are unsure, the free 20-minute discovery call exists for exactly that.

Question 9

How many sessions will I need?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you need, and the two main routes are quite different. If you need a structured elimination and reintroduction diet, a low FODMAP trial, or working out which foods you actually react to — the Health Coaching programme makes more sense. That work runs over several weeks and needs regular check-ins: bringing foods back is as important as taking them out, and nobody should be left on a restricted diet without support. If you want a detailed plan for a specific situation — eating well after surgery, or getting on top of your current symptoms — and then to carry on independently, an Initial Consultation is usually enough, with a follow-up if it helps. I'll tell you honestly which I think you need, and a free discovery call is a good place to work that out.

Question 10

What is a follow-up session, and who is it for?

Accepted Answer

A follow-up (£95, 45 minutes) is for clients who have already had an Initial Consultation with me. We look at how things have gone, work out what has helped and what has not, and adjust your plan accordingly. Afterwards I send you updated written materials — revised food lists, meal plan or supplement guidance as needed — usually within 5 working days, and always within 7.

Follow-ups are available at that reduced rate within 3 months of your initial consultation. After 3 months a new initial consultation is needed, simply because enough will usually have changed that starting fresh is more useful than adjusting an old plan.

If you would like ongoing support rather than occasional check-ins, the Health Coaching programme works out better value than booking follow-ups one at a time.

Question 11

What does the fee cover?

Accepted Answer

More than the time we spend together. It covers preparing for your session, reviewing your questionnaire, food diary and any blood results, the session itself, and everything you receive afterwards: your written summary, personalised meal plan, food lists by category and supplement plan with doses and timing. It also covers my clinical record keeping and correspondence with your GP where you have asked for it. The Ask a Dietitian session is the exception — that one is advice within the session only, with no written materials afterwards.

Question 12

Do you take private health insurance?

Accepted Answer

Yes. I'm recognised by WPA, AXA Health and Aviva. Aviva covers dietitian sessions on some policies only, so please contact Aviva's Claims Department before proceeding with any treatment. They will check the terms and conditions of your policy and confirm whether your sessions are eligible for cover. If you're insured with AXA Health, your sessions are 40-minute Ask a Dietitian sessions: please don't pay online — get in touch with your referral and authorisation number and I'll book you in. Through AXA, you get 40-minute sessions with advice given during the call. If you'd like the full programme with written meal plans and ongoing support, you can choose to pay for that privately instead. Please check your cover and any excess with your insurer before we start, and have your policy and authorisation numbers ready. Once your insurer has authorised your sessions, I bill them directly and you only pay any excess on your policy. With WPA, if they reimburse less than my fee, I will confirm the difference with you in writing before we start. If your insurer declines your claim, the fee is payable by you. You're also very welcome to pay directly instead.

Question 13

What happens in an Initial Consultation?

Accepted Answer

This covers the Initial Consultation and the first session of the Health Coaching programme. Beforehand I send you a health questionnaire and ask for a 5-day food diary — please return these at least 3 working days ahead so I can go through them properly before we meet. In the session we work through your symptoms, medical history, current eating pattern and what you want to change. I ask a lot of questions: the aim is to work out what is actually driving your symptoms rather than guessing. Afterwards you receive a written summary, a personalised meal plan, food lists by category and a supplement plan with doses and timing, usually within 5 working days, and always within 7. An Ask a Dietitian session works differently: it is shorter, focused on the questions you bring, and everything happens within the call itself.

Question 14

Will I need any tests before my assessment?

Accepted Answer

No tests are required before we meet. If you have had blood tests or other investigations recently, do bring them: reviewing your results is part of the Initial Consultation and often explains a great deal. If you haven't had anything done, that is completely fine — on the free discovery call I can give you a general steer on whether a particular kind of test is worth asking your GP about. What I do need beforehand is your health questionnaire and 5-day food diary, returned at least 3 working days ahead. I will also be straight with you about tests that are not worth your money — a number of commercial food intolerance tests sold online have no evidence behind them, and I would rather you spent that money on something that actually helps.

Question 15

Will I get a meal plan?

Accepted Answer

Yes — a personalised meal plan is part of your Initial Consultation, along with food lists by category and a supplement plan. What you will not get is a rigid set of rules you cannot live with. It is built around how you actually cook and eat: which foods to try, which to pause and when to bring them back. With gut conditions the reintroduction stage matters as much as the restriction, and I will not leave you stuck on a limited diet.

Question 16

Will you tell my GP?

Accepted Answer

Only if you want me to. Sometimes it genuinely helps for your GP or consultant to know what we're doing, particularly with coeliac disease or IBD. I will always ask your permission first and you can say no — it won't affect your care with me.

Question 17

What if I need to cancel or rearrange?

Accepted Answer

Give me at least 48 hours' notice and you can move your appointment free of charge, or cancel for a full refund. With less than 48 hours' notice, half the fee is retained. If you don't attend and I haven't heard from you, the full fee is retained. If something unavoidable happens, tell me as soon as you can — I will always try to be flexible.

Frequently asked questions

Is this right for me?

Which service, and what does it cost?

What actually happens

Afterwards and practicalities