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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Nutritionist Wants £50 For A Chat On The Phone

73 replies

WhereWhyWhat · 30/06/2017 14:21

I have developed some odd lesions on my areolae and am awaiting a biopsy to tell if it's breast cancer.

Meanwhile I've received a lot of support and suggestions from friends who are breastfeeding specialists etc etc on Facebook with possible diagnoses and cures assuming it's not cancer.

One of the people trying to help me suggested I made contact with a nutritionist friend who had helped them in the past. I did so and we arranged a time for me to phone for a chat.

At no point was money mentioned. I did not know before the call anything about her qualifications, background... anything.

I phoned and we chatted for 50 minutes.

I didn't feel that I got anything useful from it.

Much of the call was about her, not about me. It felt a little like a sales chat - with her selling her services to me. She suggested I take cod-liver oil and eat certain types of free range eggs. She said I should go to my doctor and got a full blood test done - provide her with the results of that test - and then she would provide me with a 'plan' to resolve my problem.

Right at the end of the call she asked how I'd like to pay and said that she charges £50 - this was the first mention of money. I assumed she meant for the analysis of my blood test results and subsequent 'plan'.

I decided to wait for the cancer test results and then consider going through with her suggestion.

She contacted me on Facebook reminding me of her payment details and wishing me the best for my cancer check.

I thanked her and said I would get back to her after the check, if I decided to go ahead.

She has now responded along the lines of "Hi, I still haven't received payment".

She's clearly expecting me to pay £50 for the phonecall!

Is this normal!?

I don't feel like I should pay anything at this stage. I know I was on the phone to her for 50 minutes but it was a phone call at my expense that I wasn't that thrilled with the results of. And that money was expected was only mentioned right at the end of the call.

If she'd said that at the start I would not have proceeded with it.

I really thought it was more of a first contact to 'see' if I wanted to make use of her services.

AIBU?

OP posts:

Roomster101 · 30/06/2017 16:14

Can't see where it says she is unqualified?

Her behaviour suggests that she doesn't belong to a professional body. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist.

trudyll · 30/06/2017 16:18

Why on earth would you speak to a nutritionist about this sort of issue? Very odd!

Aside from her qualifications or lack thereof...

Sounds like a very woolly kind of call... nevertheless most people would think that such a long call might be attracting some sort of ££ charge. It would definitely cross my mind!

Morphene · 30/06/2017 16:20

I think I agree that you probably don't need friends who use your cancer scare to get 50 quid out of you.

mooninscorpio · 30/06/2017 16:26

As previous posters have said, see a dietitian. Dietitians practice evidence based therapy as undergo a 4 year BSc degree. Nutritionists can call themselves that after minimal training and can do more harm than good. Trust me, cod liver oil & free range eggs will not solve your problem .

Wishing you the very best for your results

YouOKHun · 30/06/2017 16:28

Roomster The nearest I can find to a professional body is BANT who follow the CNHC code of contact (which seems to be the collective body for unregulated health practitioners). There is plenty in their Code about communication and clarity. There's also a reminder about insurance which I think is an important point when you're dishing out largely evidence-free advice and behaving in such a way you may have to deal with a complaint. A lot of the professional organisations in this area are pretty much about minimum qualifications and just paying membership. There's no accreditation as such. A few years ago a doctor registered his cat as a Hypnotherapist with a hypnotherapy professional body; his cat was accepted as a member and practising Hypnotherapist.

PetalsOnPearls · 30/06/2017 16:38

trudyll Fri 30-Jun-17 16:18:30
Why on earth would you speak to a nutritionist about this sort of issue? Very odd!

Not at all, there's a huge amount of evidence linking diet and cancer. It's not odd at all. It's sensible.

Jux · 30/06/2017 16:45

Wow, YouOK, that's great! I suppose the cat purrs and you relax - fab hypnotherapy session ensues involving much stroking of pelt and tickling of ears

Regardless of professional body membership, or anything else, this so-called nutritionist was incredibly unprofessional and you owe her nothing.

WRT your friend, well, I do think it's a scam, it really looks like a scam. Is she a very close, long-term friend? That's the only reason I'd believe it wasn't a scam (and even then.....)

I do hope you get good news from your results, and that your physical problems dissipate quickly.

YouOKHun · 30/06/2017 16:49

True Petals but the interpretation of evidence probably isn't taught on the average Nutritionist training course as I don't think they have clinical training, placements in hospital environments and a requirement to take part in research (I might be wrong). Evidence in the wrong hands is just as dangerous. The thing about a proper training (like dieticians) is that they are sufficiently trained to know when NOT to treat and when to refer on. What's a nutritionist doing offering to interpret the OP's bloods?!

thatsthewayitgoes · 30/06/2017 16:52

I am a dietitian - I do phone consultations but would always put in writing to the client before the call what my charges are.

The advice given to you is at best harmless but at worst dangerous.

I am so pleased that the message is getting out there that anyone can call themselves a nutritionist - as a PP stated, you are probably just as "qualified" as she is.

Always look for HCPC registration or for nutritionists a member of the Nutrition Society. I wouldn't touch BANT with a barge pole. Dietitian is a protected term meaning post-grad qualification and ongoing requirements to prove competency. Good luck OP x

PetalsOnPearls · 30/06/2017 16:54

"What's a nutritionist doing offering to interpret the OP's bloods?!"

They can be analysed by the same labs that do NHS bloods. It's how labs are now making (a shitload) of extra money. They analyse for anyone, in some cases, even members of the public, for a fee and send a brief report. Genova (I think that's the spelling) are the ones off my the top of my head that will do this for anyone who is selling services as a "health provider".

YouOKHun · 30/06/2017 17:01

thatstheway interesting about BANT who I mentioned as the result of a quick Google. There were many nutritionist organisations on Google which is telling in itself. I have the same problem in MH as there are a lot of wooo therapists offering 'cures' for depression, anxiety and the more severe diagnosis. As a rule of thumb, if it's not a discipline available on the NHS then it's likely not to be supported by good evidence as an approach and should be researched and entered into with caution.

I hope all is ok OP

Roomster101 · 30/06/2017 17:07

OP This is a link to the association for nutrition register. I would search this to see if she is registered with them. I suspect not....

www.associationfornutrition.org/Default.aspx?tabid=92

WhatALoadOfOldBollocks · 30/06/2017 17:12

Why on earth would you speak to a nutritionist about this sort of issue? Very odd!
It's not odd at all. Don't underrestimate the good (and bad) that diet plays in our health, e.g. certain cancers, not all, can be improved by eating a low carbohydrate diet due to how the particular cancer cells receive their energy (from the diet). But the NHS works along the medical model of healthcare so is far more geared towards drug treatment than nutrition advice.

For a nutritionist to belong to the governing body, such as the Association for Nutrition they have to sucessfully complete an approved 3 year undergraduate BSc degree course that covers biochemistry, physiology, statistical analysis, food composition, and how nutrition affects health and causes or improves disease. From what I gather they learn pretty much the same as dieticians except dietitians spend an extra year at uni and learn more about alternative methods of feeding (eg tubing) and also more on the nutritional treatment of illness in conjunction with drugs. What is bad is that anyone can call themselves a "nutritionist" as it's not a protected title unlike dietitian, so it's vital to check them out. They could be excellent but as people have already said, there are charlatons out there.

TenForward82 · 30/06/2017 17:43

Whoa. Scam. Do not pay your friend. Say you never agreed ti cgarges, it's up to the nutritionist (ha) to make that clear, not your friend.

ChampagneSocialist1 · 30/06/2017 17:52

I'd be concerned that she could offer you nutritional advice without knowing your medical history and the results of your tests for cancer. If you do need nutritional advice on diagnosis the hospital consultant or your GP can refer you to a state registered dietitian for free. The NHS only employs Dietitians to give tailored clinical nutritional advice to patients.

shockthemonkey · 30/06/2017 18:05

Oh dear how awkward with your friend paying.

I also feel like pp that it was unprofessional of her to try to "treat" you with a diet and very remiss of her not to clarify fees upfront. Even if she has a website that makes this clear, how could she assume that someone who comes through a friend will have seen the website?

Also, like another pp, 50 quid for a 50 min phonecall is on the low side for a proper consultation with a proper professional who gives useful information and concrete help. However, this was not the case in this instance.

DividedKingdom · 30/06/2017 18:15

Aaah! The friend who put me in touch has just messaged to apologise for not telling me about the charges, and that she's paid on my behalf. I have to reimburse my friend now of course,

No. Just no.
Good luck with your medical tests, OP.

PollyPerky · 30/06/2017 18:26

But OP you don't know if your friend really has paid her.

If she has, I'd just say 'Oh thanks so much. I didn't know there was a fee.'

I do some work where I offer a free phone consultation. It's very clear what the T&Cs are. They are given in writing first. Length of call, expectations (not a diagnosis, not treatment, just a chat.)

BTW there are now degrees in nutrition from some good unis, but equally there are some mickey mouse online courses that are no better than picking up a book on 'what makes a healthy diet' at home and having a read then calling yourself a nutritionist.

GingerPears · 30/06/2017 18:34

I too, suspect that your friend and the "nutritionist" are in it together. First she conveniently forgets to inform you of the charges, and then she "kindly" pays up knowing full well that you'd feel guilty enough to reimburse her for it? Sounds a tad dodgy to me.

harderandharder2breathe · 30/06/2017 18:38

£50 for a phone consultation is not wholly unreasonable

But it absolutely is unreasonable to not mention the charge FIRST. As then you could make an informed choice whether you wanted to proceed or not.

As she didn't mention it til the end YANBU to not pay. Block her.

Best wishes for your tests

MissionItsPossible · 30/06/2017 18:39

First of all, to you and wish you all the best OP.

Whilst I'm not generally in agreement that it's a scam what the friend is involved in, don't even think about paying her. Sorry, but if she wants to be foolish enough to pay £50 for a phone call then that's her problem.

I had a quick google for 'Nutritionists over the phone advice' and it's interesting that all of the ones I found offer the first 20 minutes free (presumably to know if this is right for you or not). This lady sounds unprofessional and sly.

SwimmingInLemonade · 30/06/2017 18:41

Agree with everyone saying it was wrong, manipulative, and possibly a sign of your friend being in on the scam when she paid for you. At the very least it tells you that the nutritionist mentioned you hadn't paid yet, which is a breach of confidentiality. It's also a surefire way of guilting you into it - you may not feel obligated to pay for a dodgy phone "consultation" so they've upped the emotional blackmail by making you feel that you now owe your friend.

If she is an old and trustworthy friend rather than a new friend / con artist, I'd graciously allow her to pay for you, as a Polly said above.

Trills · 30/06/2017 18:49

I wouldn't take the advice of anyone who asked for money at the END a 50 minute phone call.

If they are not professional enough to state their charges upfront and make sure I understood before continuing with the call, they are not professional enough for me to trust them on anything else either.

That's additional to agreeing with @PollyPerky about the dodginess of many so-called nutritionists and wanting to check what professional body they claim to be registered with.

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