Many people ask, are nutritionists or nutritional therapy practitioners accredited? I hope to answer that here.
I am registered with both the British Association for Nutrition & Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and the Complementary and the Natural Health Care Council (CNHC), which also means I am Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) accredited.
BANT has paved the path for individualised optimal nutrition since its incorporation in March 1997. They are a non-profit organisation supported by membership dues and donations from members rather than by pharmaceutical, agrochemical, commercial, or government entities.
BANT is the home of nutrition professionals, setting the standard of excellence in science-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine. BANT registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioners, just like Registered Dietitians, are trained and qualified in clinical practice to meet national standards and work in a one-to-one setting. Nutritional Therapy Practitioners practice personalised nutrition which is tailored specifically for you, taking into account your health journey, your health goals and dietary preferences. They assess and identify potential nutritional imbalances and understand how these may contribute to your individual symptoms and health concerns. They then work with you to optimise your diet accordingly.
BANT accredited members can also support GPs with nutrition and lifestyle medicine recommendations for their patients, supporting both individual well-being and/or group programmes. Nutritional advice can also be expanded to group programmes to support a number of individuals. Although recommendations are not a replacement for medical advice; Rather practitioners work alongside medical professionals to support individuals' well-being. GPs can refer on to PSA-accredited BANT practitioners with the assurance that they adhere to high standards of professional practice.
BANT members are also required to join the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) as nutrition practitioners. Meaning that the highest level of professionalism must be maintained. The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA), an independent organisation answerable to the UK Parliament, has approved the CNHC's registry.
The CNHC is an independent body, set up by the UK Government to protect the public, and is accountable to the UK Parliament. They raise standards in healthcare regulation for statutory regulators by having accredited registers. They protect the public by overseeing the regulation and registration of healthcare professionals such as CNHC-Registered BANT Nutritional Therapy Practitioners.
They provide an independent UK register of complementary healthcare practitioners and see the protection of the public as their sole purpose.
They set the standards that accredited practitioners need to meet to get onto, and then stay on the register. All CNHC Registrants have agreed to be bound by the highest standards of conduct and have registered voluntarily. All of them are professionally trained and fully insured to practise. If there is a complaint, they investigate alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct, Ethics and Performance and impose disciplinary sanctions that mirror those of the statutory healthcare regulators.
The CNHC is the holder of an Accredited Register by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA), an independent body, accountable to the UK Parliament.
So, in answer to the question, engaging a BANT Nutritional Therapy Practitioner gives the assurance that they are fully trained and qualified in clinical practice, and adhere to the highest professional standards. I have made a short video on this topic HERE.
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