#AHPsDay: My role by Fiona O'Leary
We thank Fiona for taking the time to write this blog - the fourth in our series of six to mark this year's #AHPsDay - and for helping to shine a light on the varied roles and responsibilities of our talented #AHPCommunity colleagues.
Written by Fiona O’Leary (pictured below), dietitian manager and senior specialist dietitian.
Hello, my name is Fiona O’Leary. I am the Specialist Community Dietitian for Health Improvement and Community Development for Enfield and have been in this role since December 1999. In April 2023, our ECS Community Dietetics team joined North Mid's Community division.
I am a clinician and dietitian, working within a public health role. After qualifying as a dietitian in 1994, I gained experience in acute hospitals. I have always maintained a small clinical role but, since 1997, have focused on health promotion and public health education.
Since 1999, I have been leading on programmes that aim to prevent nutrition-related disease, promote healthy eating and enable people to make informed decisions regarding food choices and intake.
Most recently, at BEH, my role included education, resource production and working with a variety of communities and health and third sector partners. I was responsible for the Trust-wide Nutrition Policy and represented my division on Trust-wide committees. I delivered the nutrition component of the Staff Wellbeing QI project and staff health education and awareness and online information.
As a Senior Specialist Dietitian, I manage the Dietetic Assistant team, organise our CPD sessions and supervise Behaviour Change Coaches in the diabetes team. My caseload involves group weight management education and clinical supervision and care planning for community domiciliary patients.
As a Public Health Dietitian, my role can include:
- Diabetes and health awareness sessions
- Nutrition policy, guidelines, resources and signposting
- North Central London health inequalities work e.g. obesity and diabetes networks and Turkish Cycling Health Day
- Student training on placement and virtually for London-wide community students and preceptorship and volunteering for Dietetic MSc admission interviews.
When not in my part-time NHS Role, since 2005 I have been a university public health lecturer.
Equity of opportunities for improved health underpins my life. I address needs within communities, including delivering education in mosques, in Turkish media, in peer-educator training with Tottenham Hotspur and via Age UK Health Day.
We will have awareness events during Black History Month at NM and Enfield Libraries with the theme ‘Making changes to your diet does not mean making changes to your culture - healthier meals and lifestyle choices’.
Our service delivery is supported by the North Mid strategic themes of Partnership, Outstanding Care, Patients and People.
