Dr Nick Thompson
BAPEN President
Nick is a Consultant Gastroenterologist in Newcastle upon Tyne. He has helped develop a regional Intestinal Failure service over many years and also helped to establish the Northern Nutrition Network which meets biannually. Nick has had management roles in Trust as Clinical Director and Assoc Medical Director and was a previous senior Secretary of the British Society of Gastroenterology. He has also been the Programme Director for the registrar training programme in the northern region.
Nick has been a member of BAPEN for many years, has been a recent committee member of BAPEN medical and co-authored the BIFA guidelines on blood monitoring of HPN patients.
Dr Daniel Rogers
BAPEN Secretary
Dan is a Consultant Gastroenterologist at University Hospitals of Leicester and has a particular interest in patients with intestinal failure. He co-runs the home parenteral nutrition clinic and also runs a multi-disciplinary high output stoma clinic as well as regularly providing specialist nutrition input on the surgical wards. He also champions good nutrition, the posh tea round initiative and homegrown produce.
Until recently Dan was the Undergraduate Lead for Gastroenterology at the University of Leicester Medical School and during his time in post steadily increased the amount of nutritional care that medical students were taught and examined on.
Dr Charlotte Rutter
BAPEN Shadow Secretary
Charlotte is a Consultant Gastroenterologist working in the Cambridge Centre for Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplant which is a regional SIF centre and one of the most active intestinal transplant units in the world. Charlotte was the BSG Workforce Lead (2017 – 2021) and a regional trainee representative followed by Chair of the BSG Trainees Section (2012 – 2017). In these roles she arranged many conference programmes as well as the Inaugural BSG Taster Course and annual Trainees Management and Education Weekends.
Charlotte has been a member of BAPEN for many years and is active in promoting awareness of malnutrition and committed to delivering quality training in nutrition and intestinal failure. She set up the “Clinical Nutrition Webinars” with colleagues from Southampton and Newcastle, delivering monthly education which have been very well received with excellent attendance each month.
Dr Sheldon Cooper
BAPEN Treasurer
Dr Sheldon Cooper is a consultant gastroenterologist and Intestinal Failure lead for the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, now a regionally NHSE commissioned Severe Intestinal Failure Unit. He his also an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham. His Masters degree in Nutritional Medicine was undertaken with the University of Surrey and Doctoral thesis examining the causes of oesophageal cancer at the University of Birmingham. Current research interests include vitamin D and inflammatory bowel disease, sarcopenia notably in Crohn’s disease and developing within intestinal failure, and examining aspects of clinical care in intestinal failure.
Dr Cooper is the Honorary Treasurer and a Trustee for BAPEN, previously sitting on BAPEN Council 2010-16, previous chair of the Education and Training committee for 3 years (including a position on the Executive at the time), and past-chair of the doctors core group, BAPEN Medical. He is also a registered nutritionist and Fellow of the Association for Nutrition.
Sarah-Jane Nelson
BAPEN Clinically assisted nutrition and hydration officer
Sarah-Jane is Principal Dietitian and Clinical Lead for Intestinal Failure, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Northern Ireland. Serving a population of 1.8million this service has grown over 20 years and achieved regional recognition in 2014 and secured ongoing funding for a 10 bedded unit and weekly IF clinic. Sarah-Jane was a lead business case developer for this process.
She is involved in the Trusts Nutrition Steering Committee and delivers education and training to undergraduate and postgraduate dietitians, nutritionists, nurses and doctors both locally and nationally.
Sarah-Jane has been involved with BAPEN for the last 9 years both as Northern Ireland representative and member of the British Artificial Nutrition Survey (BANS) committee, where she is a key developer of the Intestinal Failure Register. She, alongside Emily Walters, succeed President Trevor Smith as co-chairs of BANS for the next term.
In her limited (mum of 4) spare time, she enjoys weightlifting and a plant based lifestyle.
Dr Emily Walters
BAPEN Malnutrition Officer
Emily is a registered dietitian with specialist interest in disease related malnutrition. She is currently a Doctoral Research Fellow (NIHR CLAHRC) at the University of Southampton. Emily co-chairs the British Artificial Nutrition Survey committee with Sarah-Jane Nelson having previously held the secretarial role. She also sits on the Department of Health Advisory Committee for Borderline Substances.
Emily’s NHS dietetic practice focused on supporting individuals requiring nutrition support both in hospital and at home. She led the adult Nutrition and Dietetic Service at Southampton General Hospital for ten years with a track record of successful service improvement and research projects related to malnutrition risk and nutrition support. She continues with her desire to improve the quality of life and care of those with and at risk of malnutrition through her committee work, educational and research activities.
Kate Hall MSc RD
BAPEN Communications Officer
Having previously worked as a dietitian within the NHS, and having worked for a medical nutrition company, I remain active in the dietetic profession. It is great to be part of such an active and passionate team within BAPEN and I have learned a lot whilst serving as Communications Officer for PENG, having previously liaised with BAPEN on communications-related topics on behalf of PENG; I now look forward to working with everyone in the role of BAPEN communications officer.
I have a keen focus on patients (and their carers), and also on increasing the profile of healthcare professionals in the front line, in getting us a greater voice in healthcare matters of national significance: I strongly believe that, with the coming changes in commissioning of services within the NHS, some of which are already coming into force, now is the time for us to secure higher profile in healthcare, so that our knowledge can be brought to bear and as a result that patient outcomes are improved. As Communications Officer I hope to represent members generally, support and work with the core groups, BAPEN office and BAPEN Council and others within BAPEN to encourage shared working.
Being a strong team player and with a drive to get others involved, I relish the opportunity to work together to help us achieve BAPEN’s aims – putting patients at the centre of good nutritional care – and further build on the membership to both meet the needs of current/new members and also encouraging active members to be the voice of BAPEN locally. With the current challenging environment in which we all work it is now that we have the opportunity to make a real difference and the chance to play my part in the role of Communications Officer is really exciting.
Dr Jane Fletcher
BAPEN Professional Affairs Officer
Jane is the Lead Nurse for Nutrition and Intestinal Failure based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust. Early in her career she was a member of the National Nurses Nutrition Group (NNNG) Committee, where she co-authored the Competency Framework for Nutrition Nurse Specialists on behalf of the NNNG and first became involved with BAPEN Communication and Programmes Committees.
Jane has an interest in expanding the role of nutrition nurses, both as independent practitioners and within the wider multi-disciplinary team. She believes in building the evidence base to promote and underpin excellent nutritional care. Jane is currently undertaking an NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Birmingham and is keen to pursue a clinical academic role.
Dr Emma Parsons
Education Officer
Emma is a Registered Dietitian, Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead for the BSc (Hons) Nutrition and Dietetic programme at the University of Winchester. She is also a visiting Teaching Fellow with the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton. Emma is also member of BAPEN’s Malnutrition Action Group (MAG) committee.
Emma has a specialist interests in disease related malnutrition and public health. She completed PhD and postdoctoral studies exploring the identification and treatment of disease related malnutrition in older people. She worked with the Wessex Academic Health Science Network as their Lead Quality Improvement Dietitian for 5 years, where she contributed to the design, implementation and evaluation of malnutrition projects in the Wessex region.
Emma has extensive experience of teaching and research supervision at Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels for nutrition, dietetic, public health and medical students.
