Rebecca Gasche, Chester South Primary Care Network and Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

I am currently working a split post – part in secondary care which involves leading on services within the hospital, and part working for a Primary Care Network (PCN). I work in four GP practices and spend 1-2 clinic sessions in each per week, depending on the patient population sizes.

Last year Health Education England, in partnership with the British Dietetic Association published the roadmap for dietitians wishing to become first contact or advanced practitioners in Primary care. This roadmap defines a clear learning route for dietitians working in Primary care, and my goal is to become an Advanced Practice dietitian.

This involves working at an advanced level of clinical practice - including diagnosing certain conditions, prescribing medications, and undertaking clinical examinations - plus also demonstrating skills in leadership, research and education. I have completed some further study to support this – including the non-medical prescribing course and the First Contact Practitioner module – and aim to complete my full masters in advanced practice.

Following my A-levels I completed an undergraduate degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. My first job as a dietitian was a rotational acute dietitian, where I gained a wide variety of experiences from different wards, clinics and patient groups. In 2016 I moved into my first specialist role, which was a developmental role within a community team. My main task to set up a dietitian-led Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) service for West Cheshire and the success of this led to my job becoming solely a gastroenterology dietitian. I progressed into a clinical lead position and in April 2021 I combined the role with my PCN work. In addition to this I have been a guest lecturer at the University of Chester and do some freelance writing for healthcare magazines.