Nutrition-Dietetics

The St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney Nutrition and Dietetic Services department provides specialised nutrition care in the majority of clinical units within the Hospital, including the Sacred Heart Health Service.

Eating a balanced diet is vital for developing and maintaining good health and wellbeing. Food provides our bodies with the energy, protein, essential fats, vitamins and minerals to function properly. Good nutrition assists with recovery from illness and protection against infection.

It is common to experience a change in taste, appetite or ability to tolerate certain foods when you’re unwell or receiving treatment for an illness. For this reason we are available for consultation on the ward to assist and work with you to achieve your individualised nutrition goals during and after your hospital stay.

We provide:
• Nutrition assessment and diagnosis
• Dietary intervention whilst an inpatient, including provision of supplements to assist patients who are not able to meet their nutritional requirements through food alone
• Education on a suitable dietary plan ready for discharge to patients and their families/carers

Common dietary interventions provided in Hospital include:
• High protein diets to aid healing
• High energy diets to maintain or build body weight
• Texture modified diets for patients having swallowing difficulties
• Nasogastric/gastrostomy tube feeding in patients with altered consciousness/loss of swallowing ability/very high energy requirements
• A range of diets suitable for people with diabetes, heart disease and altered kidney or gut function
• Food allergies/intolerances

St Vincent's also offer dietetic services in some outpatients clinics, including:
• Immunology & Infectious Diseases Ambulatory Care (IBAC)
• Diabetes Centre
• The Kinghorn Cancer Centre

As well as community-based dietetic services:
• Transitional Aged Care Program (TACP)
• Community Palliative Care team
• Heart Failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Community team

Food services
Our Hospital kitchen provides fresh meals daily and pride ourselves on ensuring all our patients’ dietary needs are catered for.

Contact

Nutrition and Dietetic Manager: Melissa Armstrong AdvAPD, CDE
Level  4 deLacy Building, St Vincent’s Hospital
Tel: 02 8382 2555

Watch

Melissa Armstrong explains the link between food and disease: