Dieticians or NHS staff opinions on job application please!

[TheHallouminati]

I'd really appreciate any advice from someone who works as or with a dietician in an NHS setting please.

I'm considering applying for an Dietetics apprenticeship at my local NHS trust. After the first year in placement the applicant can enrol in University to undertake a remote learning degree to qualify as a Dietician.

In terms of the applicant requirements I tick all of the boxes:
I have the necessary qualifications and I have work experience in a patient facing NHS role (dispenser in a GP practice dispensary) amongst many other required and desired attributes.

There's a big sticking point however and the AIBU...

I'm morbidly obese with a BMI just over 40. I've lost 15 kg to get to this point and (in my opinion at least) I have a sound knowledge of nutrition and an interest in health (also requirements of the role). I know how to eat well and what a balanced diet looks like but I have struggled to adhere to that in the past. I'm working hard to improve my health and fitness and obviously lose the weight. The start date for the role is Spring next year and by then I'll be even further along with my weight loss and fitness. I'm also 36 and worry my age might be off-putting but obviously I'm more concerned about my weight at this stage!

Thing is, I loved my work in the GP practice: helping patients was what I lived for and I have always wanted to be in a position to make a more meaningful difference to people's quality of life. I really feel like I would be good in this role, given the training and tools.

Is it even worth applying or am I delusional? Will I get laughed out of the building?
AIBU to apply for an apprenticeship in Dietetics as an obese person?

@underneaththeash bit of a high jack but I didn’t know obesity was linked to a lot of eye problems. My mum had mild macular degeneration in her 80s and she is overweight. I am not. Does that reduce my chances of getting it (I believe their is a genetic element).

Weight and age are irrelevant, if you have the competencies go for it.

I work for the NHS and can’t name a staff member who doesn’t have a few bad health behaviours themselves. I’ve went out for a cigarette before with a respiratory consultant after a very stressful emergency. About half my ward smokes, most are overweight and we are all stressed out of our minds. You’re human too and that humanity and empathy with patients is what helps. Our patients need professionals from a variety of backgrounds who can understand what they are going through.

The problem is not all bad health behaviours are as obvious or as stigmatised as obesity.

Also as others has said you don’t just deal with weight loss, dieticians have an extended role beyond that. The dieticians I work with help with the dietary requirements of patients with pressure sores, PEG feeds, alcohol excess, dementia patients refusing to eat, malabsorption and other conditions. These people tend to be so poorly they couldn’t care what you look like.

Also don’t worry about your age. In my trust there’s a few physio and pharmacy apprenticeships at the moment, all of them I have met are between 35-45.

Best of luck with your application and weight loss journey.

But equally there's also a perception of 'what the hell does she know about losing weight - she's probably never weighed more than 7 stone wringing wet all her life?' with smaller dieticians. People do forget that when they're insisting that the only person who can give advice has to be lower weight.

And if you're looking for ways to increase weight or improve nutrition separate from calorific value due to serious illness or physical disability, again, can that advice only be valid from somebody with a BMI of 18.5?

OP, go for it.

I'm so glad I posted here for advice.
Thanks to you all for responding with your thoughts and opinions.

The posters who have doubts I should apply, I'm grateful to hear your honest opinions and they are all mostly things that have gone through my mind too so I completely understand your views.

To those of you telling me to go for it, a big thanks also, the encouragement has been so wonderful.

I think I am going to apply. It's a long shot as it's such a great opportunity and there will be so many applicants. But what's the worst that could happen? I'm tough enough to handle some set backs.
Whether successful or not, it's only going to spur me on. And I guess after all is said and done, only the clinicians and recruiters in my local trust can say whether they think I'd be suitable.
If you like I'll keep you posted once I've applied...

Go for it! You will have a good understanding of what it takes to loose weight and be able to help your patients. Use what you have Learnt as positive in your application
When I worked with dieticians when I worked in the nhs, weight loss was only a small part of a dietician role.
The nhs application process can take ages too!

@Stomacharmeleon
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It's the opinions of the patients that matter the most to me. And I guess what's important is whether people feel supported and cared for and have faith in their hcps. So your encouragement means a lot, thank you.
Sending you all the best with your treatment x

I wish you all the luck with what you want to do OP. X

I work with the Bariatric (weight loss) surgical team and more than one of the surgeons are overweight so I really wouldn't let that deter you

I saw a dietician when I had problems with my kidneys, I couldn't have cared less if she was a size 6 or a size 30, she listened to me, was knowledgeable about what I needed, respected my choices and gave me the right advice. Go for it, what's the worst that can happen?

@TheHallouminati make sure you keep us posted :)

I reckon there are two outcomes here.

Either you apply, give it your best shot, and see what happens.

Or you don't.

Only one of these is guaranteed to mean you won't get it. And the reason would be nothing to do with your weight.

Good luck!

Hi there,

I work in the NHS and we follow strict guidelines about how we select/appoint. Basically, you have to meet the essential criteria, bonus points for meeting the desirable criteria. When it comes to interviews we score points based on responses to questions / presentation. At no point do we judge on how someone looks.

The next part of the process is appraisal - if you are a good dietician or not. Again, nothing based on weight.

So, I think you should go for it and see how you get on - your age is fine and having weight struggles gives you understanding into the difficulties people face. And I am saying this as a thin person! And age - you are young!

Good luck,

Apply!

I think this is great next step in not letting your weight limit your life! Go for it.