Conference Programme & Speakers

Caroline Anderson

Lead clinical academic paediatric renal dietitian, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

Caroline is an advanced clinical academic practitioner and national leader in paediatric renal nutrition with over 30 years’ experience spanning clinical care, research, improvement and education. Caroline leads the tertiary paediatric nephrology dietetic service at University Hospital Southampton.

Caroline research aims to optimise the nutritional care, patient experience and outcomes for children with Kidney Failure embedding research into everyday clinical practice. Caroline’s PhD investigated energy expenditure, physical activity, body composition, nutritional status and balance in children with kidney disease. Post-doctoral work has explored Quality of Life, micronutrient status, appetite, obesity, lived experience of nutritional care, shared decision making and virtual models of care.

Caroline holds a Health Education England QI fellowship and leads a programme intergrading digital technology into care and a fellowship of higher education. Caroline also teaches across under- and postgraduate healthcare programmes, supervising dissertations and PhD’s.

Caroline has published and presented at national and international level and is an active member of the Paediatric Renal Nutrition Group, International Paediatric Renal Nutrition Taskforce, Kidney Quality Improvement Initiative, and Paediatric Innovation, Education and Research committees, and has represented Allied Health Professionals on NHS England Policy.

Phil Atherton

Professor of Clinical, Metabolic & Molecular Physiology, University of Nottingham

Philip was awarded a BSc (1st class) in 2002, PhD in 2005 and a government fellowship in Molecular Physiology (2007). Thereafter (2012), he was promoted to Associate Professor and full Professor (2016-), at the University of Nottingham. Philip has been PI/Co-I on grants >£20M from UK research councils, charities, industry (pharma/nutritional) and EU sources. He has published >300 peer-reviewed articles (H-index 76 (Google Scholar), with ~28,000 citations (~3000/year), an i10 index of 188, and 8 invited book(s) chapters. Philip is Senior Editor for Nutrients, Applied Physiology, Nutrition &qmp; Metabolism and founding Editor-In-Chief of Physiologia. He is on the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) Population & Systems Medicine Board (PSMB). Philip’s work combines clinical physiology with the application of stable isotope tracers, OMICs, and in vivo/vitro molecular biology - to discover predictors of the mechanistic basis for and means to mitigate health declines in ageing and disease(s).

Raj Badhan

Associate Professor of Pharmacokinetics, Aston University (School of Pharmacy)

Dr Raj Kumar Singh Badhan is an Associate Professor of Pharmacokinetics at Aston University, Birmingham, with over 20 years of experience in pharmacokinetics, pharmacometrics, and precision dosing. He specialises in understanding how physiological and pathological changes influence drug absorption, disposition, and response in complex patient groups, with a particular focus on intestinal failure, cancer, obesity, and paediatrics.

His research combines physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling, population pharmacokinetics, and clinical pharmacology to address the challenges of delivering safe and effective therapy when standard dosing approaches are unreliable. In intestinal failure, he has a particular interest in how changes in gastrointestinal transit, surface area, motility, and fluid dynamics alter oral drug absorption and lead to unpredictable exposure, often necessitating tailored dosing or alternative routes of administration.

Dr Badhan collaborates with healthcare teams and research institutions across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the United States, translating complex modelling insights into practical, evidence based strategies for improving patient care. Recognised for making advanced pharmacokinetic concepts clinically meaningful, he regularly delivers invited talks and workshops to multidisciplinary teams, helping bridge the gap between complex modelling science and its real world application in patient management

Angharad Banner

Highly Specialist Paediatric & CAMHS Dietitian, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board

Angharad began her career in 2001 at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital, later joining the dietetic team at Great Ormond Street Hospital. In 2008, she was appointed Principal Paediatric Dietitian at Cardiff and Vale UHB before transitioning to freelance work in 2013. Since then, she has consulted for a range of organisations including the BBC, Vegan Society, and leading nutrition companies. In 2019, Angharad returned to the NHS as a specialist CAMHS dietitian while continuing her private practice, consultancy roles, and active involvement in both the BDA Paediatric Specialist Group and the ARFID Sub-Group committees. She regularly lectures on the BDA’s paediatric courses and ARFID study days, and co-authored the ARFID Position Statement and Toolkit for dietitians. A passionate cook, she enjoys developing recipes for the BBC TinyHappyPeople platform and cooking with her three children.

Andrew Barton

Consultant Nurse, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust and Chair of NIVAS

Andrew is a Nurse Consultant for IV therapy and Vascular Access and leads a team of infusion nurses, vascular access nurses and home IV therapy nurses who are all part of an infusion and vascular access service unit. Andrew is a non-medical prescriber and regularly inserts implanted PORTS, Tunneled catheters and PICCs using up to date technology and techniques.

Nationally Andrew is the Chair of the National Infusion & Vascular Access Society (NIVAS) an organization that aims to represent IV therapy and vascular access practice within the UK to ensure that national policy and guidelines align with best practice and are evidence based. Andrew is also a member of the national electronic medicines guide steering group (MEDUSA) and is recognized as a medical technology principal expert for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) a clinical expert advisor for The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and most recently a global committee member for WoCoVA.

Andrew has spoken at conferences and symposiums in 42 cities in 33 countries about vascular access and IV therapy with a special interest in innovation and technology. Andrew is widely published in journals having undertaken numerous research projects and is also a supplement editor for the British Journal of Nursing (BJN) IV supplement.

Liz Buse

Executive Director of Improvement, Research and Innovation and Improvement Director for the National Improvement Board (NHS IMPACT), Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Ailsa Brotherton is the Executive Director of Improvement, Research and Innovation at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, an Honorary Professor at the University of Central Lancashire and Honorary Clinical Professor at Lancaster University. Ailsa is also the Improvement Director for the National Improvement Board (NHS IMPACT) and is a Health Foundation Generation Q Fellow, graduating from Hult Ashridge with a Masters degree as part of this improvement fellowship. Her PhD focused on the impact of PEG feeding on patients quality of life and she previously held the position of senior postdoctoral research fellow. Ailsa has experience of designing and delivering quality improvement and large-scale change programmes at national, regional and local levels. Ailsa has a particular interest in system level improvement, working across organisational boundaries. She has previously held the position of Honorary Secretary, BAPEN and is currently the co-chair of BAPEN Faculty.

Cathy Cawley

Clinical Nurse Specialist – Nutrition Support, The Royal London Hospital – Barts Health

Angela qualified as a nurse in 1999 from St Bartholomew’s and The Royal London Hospital school of nursing. Angela has had a varied nursing career, centred around caring for children and young adults with complex gastroenterology and nutrition disorders. She has developed a transition pathway from paediatric care to an adult care setting – building and supporting the development of an MDT centred around promoting transitional care for young adults with Intestinal Failure. Over the last few years, Angela has worked predominantly within adult nutrition teams, including primary, secondary and tertiary services. She is passionate in supporting both safe patient care with timely access to appropriate nutrition as well as supporting nutrition nurses and the teams around the patient to promote the continued development of quality care and team wellbeing. Angela has actively participated as a committee member of the NPPNNG, NNNG, BSPGAN NIFWG, BAPEN/PINNT patient network development group and PINNTS virtual nutrition team.

Ellie Coles

Freelance Dietitian

Ellie is a dietitian passionate about dietetic education. She combines her extensive dietetic experience in the NHS, private practice & higher education sectors to provide support & guidance to student & graduate dietitians. She leverages her experience to influence the future of dietetics through providing mentorship and innovative educational practice based learning (PBL) opportunities for six UK universities to advance the dietetic profession and foster the growth of upcoming competent and compassionate dietitians. In addition to this, as a subject matter expert, Ellie wrote the British Dietetic Association (BDA) Practice Based Learning in a Higher Education Institution’ guidance document, aimed at growing PBL opportunities across the education sector to encourage dietetic learners into education & research careers.

Ellie is an active member of BAPEN’s MAG committee, and combines this with her practice education opportunities, working with dietetic learners on projects for BAPEN including recent work on management malnutrition for hard to reach groups and creating a online sustainable nutrition support tool tailored to diverse dietary needs. Ellie also sits on the BAPEN Education committee and the BDA PENG committee as the Education Officer, winning BDA Volunteer of the Year 2024 for her commitment to organizing the PENG education opportunities such as webinars and study days.

Melanie Coxall

Senior Physiotherapist in the Geriatric Emergency Department Intervention (GEDI) team, Tallaght University Hospital

Kieron completed his first undergraduate entitled ‘Sport and exercise management’ with University College Dublin before going on to complete a BSc in Physiotherapy with Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) in 2017. Kieron then went into clinical work across Beaumont Hospital and St James hospital where an interest in older persons rehabilitation began. In 2020, Kieron was successful in obtaining an employment based post-graduate scholarship with the Irish research Council. This enabled him to complete a Research MSc with RCSI and St James Hospital entitled ‘Prevalence of Sarcopenia and Associated factors in Older Adults Attending a Day Hospital Service in Ireland’. Since then, Kieron has continued his involvement in research, supporting other MSc projects in topics such as osteosarcopenia and QI initiative to address issues for older adults attending Emergency department. Currently, Kieron is the Senior Physiotherapist on the Geriatric Emergency Department Intervention (GEDI) in Tallaght University Hospital and is also on the national working group for the frailty at the front door teams across Ireland. Kieron is currently undertaking further learning by taking part in Post-grad certificate in Advanced Clinical Practice with University of Limerick as well as certified course in Syncope and Related Disorders.

Nikki Davis

Consultant paediatric endocrinology and obesity, University Hospitals Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Davis joined the NHS Foundation Trust in May 2010 as a consultant in paediatric, endocrinology and diabetes after training in Nottingham, Brisbane, Cardiff and Bristol, and completing a PhD in late effects of treatment for childhood cancer at the University of Bristol.

Her current role includes leading and delivering Southampton and regional paediatric endocrinology, late effects and obesity services. Dr Davis is currently leading the South East Network CYP Complications of Excess Weight Services (CEW) which is an NHSE transformation project now moving to ICB commissioning. All of these services are mainly outpatient based but also involve remote working, complex investigation services and management of inpatients. Regional services in endocrinology include Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Channel Islands, Dorset and Frimley. The South East network CEW services also include Dartford and Gravesham, Oxford, Brighton West Sussex and Surrey.

Dr Davis has research interests in endocrine late effects of treatment for childhood cancer, closed loop technology for type 1 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and pharmacotherapy for obesity. Dr Davis has a particular interest in the treatment of children and adolescents with severe obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

Clare Donnellan

Consultant Gastroenterologist, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Clare Donnellan trained at St. Bartholomew’s Medical College, did SHO training in Torquay and completed registrar training in Yorkshire. She has worked as a consultant gastroenterologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust since 2007, working in all aspects of nutrition - from instituting protected meal times, ensuring a high quality PEG service and now co-running the 3rd largest home parenteral support service in the UK.

Simon Eaton

Post Doctoral Researcher, Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University

Bethany Duffy is a Registered Dietitian and a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Ulster University, Northern Ireland. Bethany’s PhD research focused on the role of B vitamins, specifically riboflavin, in relation to maternal and offspring health.

Asma Fikree

Consultant Neurogastroenterologist, University College Hospital NHS Trust

Asma Fikree BMBCh PhD is a Neurogastroenterology Consultant at University College Hospital in London and an Honorary Associate Professor University College London. She runs a tertiary neurogastroenterology clinic for patients with severe functional GI disorders, focusing on multidisciplinary and integrated care and incorporating research into her clinical work. Most of her research involves phenotyping of patients with complex neurogastroenterology problems and she is currently part of working groups to develop guidelines for gastrointestinal management in patients with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and guidelines for investigation of gastroduodenal dysfunction. She is chair of the Neurogastroenterology and Motility section of the British Society of Gastroenterology, and is very interested in improving training in Neurogastroenterology.

Jane Fletcher

Consultant Nurse for Nutrition and Intestinal Failure, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust

Jane is the Consultant Nurse for Nutrition and Intestinal Failure at University Hospitals Birmingham, based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham site. She has been in the team for over 20 years. She gained her M.Med.Sci. in Human Nutrition from the University of Sheffield in 1997 and completed her PhD in Nursing by Research with the University of Birmingham in 2023. For her PhD she designed and conducted a feasibility study for a randomised controlled clinical trial investigating the effect of vitamin D supplementation on patient reported outcomes in patients with Crohn’s Disease. She carried out trial co-ordination under the supervision of Liverpool Clinical Trials Centre. Her current research interests include sustainability and aseptic techniques used in the administration of parenteral nutrition.

Jane has several publications and has worked with a multi-national group in the development of an ESPEN guideline. She is currently the Professional Affairs Officer on the BAPEN Executive Committee, working with several national groups, including the NHSE advisory board, to support the BAPEN strategy.

Karri Gillespie-Smith

Senior Lecturer in Applied Psychology, University of Edinburgh

Dr Gillespie-Smith works as a Senior Lecturer in Applied Psychology in Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Edinburgh. Dr Gillespie-Smith’s research focuses on social cognition and mental health in Autistic groups and those who have Learning Disabilities. Recently her work has focused on the underpinning mechanisms of Eating Disorders in the Autistic Community to inform future support and/or interventions. She co-leads the Eating Disorder and Autism Collaborative (EDAC) with Dr Fiona Duffy. EDAC brings together the Autistic community, parents and caregivers, autism researchers, eating disorder researchers, practitioners, clinicians, stakeholder groups and policy makers to increase research capacity and lead to new ways of innovative working in this important area.

Sharlene Haywood

Lead Nutrition Clinical Nurse Specialist, Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust

Sharlene qualified as a nurse in 2001, she has worked in a variety of specialties. She later joined the Royal Marsden Hospital working in critical care, oncology, haemato-oncology, and cancer rehabilitation. During this period, she completed a BSc (hons) in cancer care. In 2011, she joined the Royal Free Hospital as a Nutrition Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), covering enteral and parenteral nutrition support. In 2018, she moved to Kingston Hospital establishing a new nutrition nurse service, in 2020 she became the Lead Nutrition CNS. She has a special interest in competency development and retention.

She is Treasurer of National Nurse Nutrition Group (NNNG). In 2021 Sharlene trained as a Professional Nurse Advocate (PNA) providing Restorative Clinical Supervision (RCS). During 2023 she co-developed and delivered a RCS program for NNNG members. More recently she is a specialist subject reviewer for the Royal College of Nursing for PNA courses.

In 2023, she completed an MSc in Clinical Leadership, joined the editorial board of the British Journal of Nursing - Nutrition Supplements, and was a finalist for a Nursing Times Award in the patient safety category. This year Sharlene was awarded Nutrition Nurse of the Year by the British Journal of Nursing.

Jack Hodd

University Of Manchester

Chloe French is a Registered Nutritionist and PhD student at the University of Manchester. Her PhD involves the development of a digital tool to reduce the risk of malnutrition and support healthy ageing in older adults.

Anne Holdoway

Consultant Dietitian, Freelance Dietitian

Anne’s 38-year career as a dietitian includes senior positions in the medical nutrition industry, clinical dietetics and national volunteer roles. Utilising her extensive knowledge and experience gained in gastroenterology, oncology, palliative care, nutrition support, intensive care, neurorehabilitation, and surgery, Anne now combines private clinical practice with research, consultancy work and teaching. Anne has dedicated considerable personal time to support national organisations (NICE, BAPEN, BDA, RCGP), with the aim of influencing standards, developing educational resources, and seeking new ways to deliver nutritional care. In recognition of her contribution to nutrition and dietetics, Anne was awarded a fellowship of the BDA in 2016 and the BAPEN John Lennard-Jones medal in 2020. Through her role as Clinical Director of the Malnutrition Pathway www.malnutritionpathway.co.uk, (now a Community Interest Company), Anne has led on the development of evidence-based, open-access resources to support healthcare professionals, patients, and carers in identifying, treating, and preventing disease-related malnutrition in the community, the credibility is reflected in the content being incorporated and referenced in NICE Guidance and NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary for Adult Malnutrition. Anne has authored many publications on the management of disease-related malnutrition, is Editor of Complete Nutrition and is a regular speaker at national and international events.

Amelia Jukes

Consultant Dietitian, University Hospital of Wales

Amelia Jukes has been a key figure in the development of nutrition support services in Wales since 1998, when she became part of the original Nutrition Support Team in Cardiff. Her early involvement was instrumental in the commissioning of the Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN) service for adult patients across Wales.

With extensive experience in both enteral and parenteral nutrition, Amelia specialises in Critical Care and Intestinal Failure. She has led numerous initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality, safety, and overall experience of patient care. Her work reflects a strong commitment to clinical excellence and service improvement.

In her current role as Consultant Dietitian, Amelia not only provides expert clinical leadership she plays a central role in monitoring and reporting on key performance indicators and patient outcomes, ensuring that the service remains responsive, effective, and patient-centred.

Matt Lee

Consultant Gastroenterologist, St Mark's Hospital, London & LNWUH Trust

Dr Gabe is a consultant in gastroenterology & intestinal rehabilitation at St Mark's Hospital and chair of the NHS National Reference Centre for Severe Intestinal Failure at St Mark’s. This is also an Integrated Care centre for intestinal failure and a recognised ESPEN Training Centre. He has a wide clinical experience in dealing with complex nutritional problems, inflammatory bowel disease, fistula management, intestinal failure requiring enteral or parenteral support, home parenteral nutrition and consideration of intestinal transplantation.

Dr Gabe is a past President of BAPEN. He co-founded the National Adult Small Intestinal Transplant (NASIT) Forum in the UK and has been an active member of a Clinical Reference Group within NHS England responsible for the development of a clinical network in England for all patients with Intestinal Failure (HIFNET). He currently co-chairs the HPN Clinical Advice and Management Group for NHS England.

Dr Gabe has completed an MD in intestinal permeability and an MSc in Clinical Nutrition. His academic and research interests include nutrition (including intestinal failure & enterocutaneous fistulae), home parenteral nutrition (survival & growth factors), intestinal transplantation and intestinal tissue engineering.

Hayley Leyland

Clinical Lead Dietitian Childrens Home Enteral Feeding, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Honorary Assistant Professor, Children and Young People's Health Research (CYP-HR), The University of Nottingham, UK

Maria is originally from Spain and after moving to England she studied an MSc in Advanced Professional Practice in Dietetics at the University of Plymouth.

In 2021, Maria began her career as a Dietitian at University Hospitals of Leicester, where she was promoted to Senior Dietitian in 2022. Collaborating with her line manager, Maria developed the "Adult Complex Medicine" service, providing nutritional support to patients with complex medical needs, including Adult Intensive Care Unit (AICU) stepdown patients, long-stay patients, individuals with Learning Disabilities, safeguarding concerns, wound care needs, and Diabetes Mellitus. Though challenging, this role was highly rewarding, as Maria observed patients’ progress and audited its impact on their clinical outcomes to assess the need for potential improvements.

In early 2024, Maria began her current role as a Senior Specialist Dietitian. Working alongside AICU Dietitians, she is developing the "Critical Care Outreach Dietetic Service," which supports patients stepped down to the wards.

Dileep N Lobo

Professor of Gastrointestinal Surgery, University of Nottingham

Dileep Lobo is Professor of Gastrointestinal Surgery at the University of Nottingham and Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. He qualified from Bangalore University, India and was awarded the DM degree with distinction by the University of Nottingham for his work on fluid and electrolytes. He was awarded the Sir David Cuthbertson Medal by the Nutrition Society and is a recipient of the James IV Society of Surgeons Traveller’s Award, the Moynihan Fellowship from the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland and the Hunterian Professorship from the Royal College of Surgeons of England. His clinical interests focus on surgery of the pancreas and biliary tree. He has over 380 peer-reviewed articles and has an ISI H-index of 81 (98 on Google Scholar). He was awarded the Fellowship of the American College of Surgeons and the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. He has been President of the International Association for Surgical Metabolism and Nutrition, and the Surgical Research Society. He was recently honoured with the Sir David Cuthbertson Oration by ESPEN, the Pennington Lecture by BAPEN, the Fearon Lecture by the ERAS Society and the Association of Anaesthetists Award. He is currently Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Nutrition and Associate Editor of the World Journal of Surgery.

Cara Maiden

Neurogastroenterology Dietitian, University College London Hospital

Lee Martin has been practicing as a registered dietitian for 17 years and has worked across primary, secondary and tertiary care as well as in academia. In 2018 he was appointed as the UK’s first Neurogastroenterology Dietitian at University College London Hospital (UCLH) where he works currently. In this role Lee works closely with the GI Physiology Unit and Neurogastroenterology Consultants in both inpatient and outpatient settings. His clinical practice and research interest is in the assessment and management of refractory Disorders of Gut Brain Interaction (DGBI) and motility disorders. He has pioneered a practical dietetic approach to support patients with their oral nutrition difficulties, while preventing the escalation of invasive nutritional therapy. Lee is always happy to discuss challenging neurogastro dietetic cases.

Alistair McKinlay

Nutrition Specialist Nurse, University Hospitals of Leicester

Angela qualified as a nurse in the last century and has worked in the adult nutrition support team at University Hospitals of Leicester for 5 years, the last 2 years as the senior nutrition nurse. The role supports both inpatient and outpatient parenteral nutrition. Her previous experience in renal nursing primarily haemodiaysis included survelience of vascular access and supporting transition of patients from a paediatric renal service to an adult service which is still an area of special interest to her now as a nutrition nurse.

Uchu Meade

Consultant Pharmacist: Intestinal Rehabilitation, St Mark’s Hospital, London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust

Uchu specialised in Gastroenterology at the Royal London hospital, and in 2016, she became the manager of the pharmacy service at St Mark’s Hospital, The National Bowel Hospital. Under her leadership, the pharmacy service expanded significantly, with specialist teams in areas like Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Homecare, Hepatology, and Colorectal Surgery, establishing St Mark’s pharmacy as national and international leaders in these fields.

Since 2020, Uchu has dedicated her clinical practice to Intestinal Rehabilitation and Nutrition, becoming an active and recognised member in this field both nationally and internationally. She has spoken at numerous conferences, published extensively, and focused on areas including oral drug absorption, parenteral nutrition, and the use of artificial intelligence in intestinal failure.

In April 2023, she achieved a significant milestone in her career by becoming the first consultant level pharmacist at St Mark’s Hospital, marking only the third consultant level pharmacist post within the Trust. In June 2025 Uchu gain consultant pharmacist credentials form the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the first pharmacist to achieve this in her Trust. This appointment and credentialing underscores her extensive contributions and expertise in her field.

Sara Melville

Nurse Consultant Paediatric Vascular Access, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

Sara Melville is the Lead Nurse for vascular access service at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital since 2007 and in recent years has become the Nurse Consultant for Paediatric Vascular Access. Sara has a background in neonatal and paediatric critical care and have also worked as a senior lecturer in higher education in children’s nursing, teaching both pre and post registration courses. Sara’s interest in vascular access first began whilst working within the paediatric and neonatal critical care environments. She first learned to place venous access in 2000 whilst working on a NICU caring for patients from 23 weeks gestation upwards and have been placing venous access in the neonatal and paediatric population since this time.

In 2010 Sara set up the Nurse Led Vascular Access Service at Alder Hey, which now places peripheral cannula, midlines and PICC lines using ultrasound guidance in all ages ranges in the paediatric setting. The team is responsible for all the vascular access guidelines for both insertion of cannula, midlines and PICC lines, the ongoing care and maintenance guidelines and ANTT guidelines in relation to vascular access. They also provide IV therapy training in preparation and administration and training in paediatric venepuncture and cannulation to all the MDT. The service has also developed and implemented a paediatric version of Vessel Health and Preservation, integrated into the patient EPR system.

Sara’s particular interests are Paediatric Vessel Health and Preservation, reducing risks associated with venous access in paediatric patients and strategies to use to reduce the holding and restraining of children during vascular access insertions.

Lucy Morgan

Critical Care Dietitian & Joint Professional Manager for Acute Dietetic Team, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

Lucy Morgan has worked as a critical care Dietitian within Aneurin Bevan University Health Board for the last 18 years and has recently moved into a new secondment as Joint Professional Manager for the acute dietetic team. She has previously held positions in the committee of the British Dietetic Association Critical Care Specialist Group, including Chair and is the currently the Dietetic Representative on the Welsh Intensive Care Society Council and Clinical Reference Group of the welsh Critical Care Network. She has recently completed her MSc in Advanced Practice (Dietetics) with Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Steven Pearson-Brown

General Secretary, PINNT

Steve currently serves as the General Secretary and Executive Committee member for PINNT, where he has supported their activities for almost 20 years. As an individual on Home Enteral Tube Feeding, Steve has spoken about how through the support and understanding of PINNT he was able to grow in strength and confidence; enough to accept & embrace his treatment and as a result his life has improved immensely. These drives Steve’s passion for working in collaboration with other healthcare professionals and industry organisations to ensure that the patient is at the heart of their healthcare;, advocating for their inclusion in decision making and service provision.

Niamh Rice

Consultant in Nutrition & Medical Affairs, Director, CEO Previs Healthcare & Founding member of Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, Director IrSPEN

Niamh Rice is a nutrition and healthcare strategist with over 30 years’ experience bridging clinical priorities with the realities of policy, budgets, and decision-making. A qualified dietitian and nutritionist, she is CEO of Previs Healthcare, advising clients in healthcare, academia, nutrition, and dairy on evidence-led strategies that deliver measurable impact.

A founding Director of IrSPEN, she authored the budget impact analysis for Ireland’s National Clinical Guideline on Nutritional Screening and Support, making screening mandatory in Irish hospitals, and published the national cost of disease-related malnutrition in Ireland, adapting the economic model first developed by Professor Marinos Elia for UK data. She has co-led national surveys of healthcare professionals and undertaken insight work on patient experience with nutritional support, which she considers essential to effective advocacy and policy design.

Drawing on senior clinical and leadership roles in medical, infant, and consumer nutrition, Niamh combines health economics, policy expertise, and strategic communications to challenge assumptions, influence decision-makers, and strengthen the case for nutrition as a cornerstone of healthcare.

Rebeca Romain

Lead critical care dietitian, University Hospital of Wales

Rebeca graduated in 2014 from Kings College London and has since worked in a number of clinical areas, specialising in critical care 9 years ago. She has completed the PENG clinical update course, her literature review focusing on the evidence around using gastric residual volumes in adult critical care. She is the lead critical care dietitian at the University Hospital of Wales and joint events officer for the BDA CCSG, organising events for critical care dietitians nationwide over the last 3 years.

Rosie Satherley

Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of Surrey

Dr. Satherley completed her PhD in Psychology at the University of Birmingham in 2017, focusing on disordered eating in coeliac disease. Since then, she has led a research programme investigating the psychological aspects of coeliac disease in both adults and children. Her work has been funded by Coeliac UK and the NIHR Research for Patient Benefit programme, with the goal of developing psychological interventions for people living with coeliac disease. Dr. Satherley’s research interests include food-related anxiety and the psychological faced by individuals with coeliac disease in managing their dietary needs.

Laura-Jane (LJ) Smith

NHS Grampian

Dr. Alastair McKinlay was brought up and educated in Edinburgh and graduated from the University of Edinburgh Medical School in 1982. His postgraduate training was in Edinburgh, Birmingham and Aberdeen where he was appointed as a Consultant Gastroenterologist from 1992 until he retired in 2022.

Alastair was a general gastroenterologist and bowel cancer screening endoscopist, with specialist interests in nutrition, and in particular eating disorders. He still carries out bowel cancer screening lists on a part time basis.

He was Secretary and President of the Scottish Society of Gastroenterology, Co-chair of the Scottish Government’s National Nutritional Advisory Board, and was appointed President -Elect of the British Society of Gastroenterology in 2018, becoming President and Chair of the Board of Trustees from 2020 to 2022. During that time, he led the BSG through the COVID pandemic and oversaw its advice on continuing services during the lockdowns. He was amember of Council of the Royal College of Physicians, London 2020-2022.

He has chaired BAPEN (Scotland) and is currently Co-Chair of BAPEN Faculty.

Alastair is married to Janice a dietitian, and they have 2 grown up children. His hobbies include music, particularly singing, and photography.

Sara McNally

Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist, Addenbrooke’s Hospital

Dr Sara McNally is a Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge has an interest in factitious disorder ( imposed on self,) formerly known as Munchausen’s Syndrome and Fabricated and Induced Illness (FII) formerly known as Munchausen’s by proxy Syndrome and increasingly known as Perplexing Presentations . She has been a member of the Fabricated and Induced Illness (FII), Special Interest/ERG at the Royal College of Psychiatrists since 2016 but found that there was a lack of equivalent focus on factitious disorder ( imposed on self), which is associated with high risk of iatrogenic harm and high healthcare utilisation. With this in mind, she recently established a Factitious Disorder/Perplexing Presentations Working Group consisting of physicians and liaison psychiatrists from across the UK with the aim of improving the detection and management of factitious disorder within the NHS.

There exists within the NHS and more widely, a cohort of patients with a specific type of abnormal illness behaviour who, over a protracted period, accrue an extensive past medical history with multiple medical diagnoses for which, on closer examination, there is questionable evidence for a primary organic cause (either at the index presentation and/or subsequent ones). However, these patients are associated with high frequency and/or intensity of contact with healthcare services (often at different geographical sites but also within the same site but under different specialties or admitting teams), a high number of medical interventions and a tendency to increasingly demand more invasive medical interventions with risk of further iatrogenic harm. However, making a diagnosis can be challenging and contentious given perceived or actual overlap with somatization disorders, a group of patients who often already feel marginalized, and management fraught with ethical and legal ramifications as well as challenges in achieving integrated care across different NHS organisations.

Clare Soulsby

Dietitian, National Alkaptonuria Centre, Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Clare has 36 years’ experience as a dietitian gaining her BSc in Dietetics in 1989, MRes in 1995 and PhD in 2005. She has worked in a variety of clinical and academic roles. Clinical experience: until 2022 Clare worked mainly in nutritional support working in critical care, liver disease and intestinal failure. In 2022 she made the big change to metabolic dietetics and took up her post at the National Alkaptonuria Centre at the Royal Liverpool Hospital.

Academic experience: Clare worked as a lecturer on Dietetic programs in Finders University (South Australia), University of North London and University of Chester. She also worked as a research assistant at Barts and the London Medical School where she gained her PhD.

Professional activity: Clare has been a co-author of the “estimating nutritional requirements” section of the PENG Pocket Guide, since the late 1990’s. Clare was involved in the PENG clinical update for over 10 years both as a tutor and programme lead for 3 years.

Alex Speakman

Consultant Pharmacist - Intestinal Failure and Parenteral Support, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Alex is the lead pharmacist for parenteral support in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and has specialised in intestinal failure for 10 years. In 2023 he joined the BIFA committee as the Welsh representative, and in 2024 he was appointed into a consultant pharmacist post. Earlier this year he was successfully credentialled by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society as a consultant pharmacist.

Katherine Stirling

Consultant Pharmacist Anticoagulation and Thrombosis, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Katherine Stirling is a consultant pharmacist for anticoagulation and thrombosis at Leeds Teaching Hospitals. She has been in post since 2011. She has also worked closely with primary care initially with the Leeds CCG GP confed team on the NHSE AF project and more recently across West Yorkshire as part of the AFway project.

Her role covers all areas of thrombosis and anticoagulation including VTE prevention. She is a member of the trusts thrombosis steering group and regularly attends VTE MDT meetings. Her clinical role involves out-patient anticoagulant clinics for patients on oral and injectable anticoagulants. Research wise she has supervised a PhD student looking at the barriers and enablers to the uptake of DOACs, supported audits and quality improvement projects on anticoagulation and VTE prevention and has a research interest in the use of anticoagulants at extremes of weight.

She is the co-chair of the United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association Haemostasis and Thrombosis Group and is part of the professional advisory council for Thrombosis UK.

Rebecca Stratton

Hon. Assoc. Professor University of Nottingham & Senior Director, Danone Research & Innovation

Dr. Rebecca Stratton is a Dietitian and Nutritional Scientist, an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham, Honorary Senior Fellow of the University of Southampton, and Senior Medical Director in Global Research and Innovation for Danone Nutricia. As an academic, Rebecca co-created the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) and has played an active role in chairing the Malnutrition Action Group of BAPEN and overseeing the UK Malnutrition Awareness Week Nutrition Surveys in previous years. She was recently awarded the John Lennard Jones Medal for outstanding work in Clinical Nutrition by BAPEN. Rebecca is a faculty member of ESPEN.

Rebecca has been working in medical nutrition research for over 25 years at the Universities of Cambridge and Southampton and at Danone Nutricia. She is a leading researcher in the field of malnutrition and nutrition support, with over 280 publications. Rebecca continues to lead an extensive number of clinical trials and systematic reviews, to further investigate and develop the evidence base for the use of medical nutrition to improve patient care.

Hannah Style

Founder and Research Dietitian, FEAST With Us

Hannah has based her career on advocating for the diet and nutrition of people suffering hardship.

She registered as a dietitian in 2014 when she started her career in the NHS. In 2015, she founded FEAST With Us (FEAST) as a grassroots initiative with the view to bringing nutrition science to the forefront of the food charity sector. Since then, Hannah has worked for several London NHS trusts, and registered FEAST as a charity now serving a large population of people experiencing food insecurity across six London boroughs.

Hannah clinically specialises in Learning Disabilities and Mental Health, and is a member of the Specialist Group in the British Dietetics Association. In partnership with University College London and on behalf of FEAST, she has conducted research exploring the nutrition status of people experiencing homelessness residing in temporary accommodation.

Her experience and expertise led her to Pathway where she met Ghislaine Swinburn, another dietitian passionate about homelessness. Together, they established the Nutrition Committee within the Pathway medical Faculty to gather like-minds and address the gaps in nutrition services for people experiencing homelessness. As co-chair, she is currently researching the co-development of a population-specific nutrition screening tool for people experiencing homelessness.

Sian Taylor

Clinical Specialist and Strategic Lead CAMHs Dietitian, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

Sian Taylor works as a Clinical Specialist Dietitian within CAMHS at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board ensuring that the specific skills and knowledge of a dietitian are used to support and compliment the work of the multidisciplinary team. Sian began her career in England before moving to Wales 23 years ago, she established and chairs the BDA ARFID sub group and the multidisciplinary Wales Strategic Task and Finish group on ARFID, representing Dietetics and helping to shape and influence key strategic developments regarding ARFID. Sian continues to be enthusiastic about the importance of young people and their families having timely access to specialist CAMHS dietitians and all dietitians having the skills to recognise and work with ARFID. She has developed Competency guidelines for Dietitians working in ARFID and co- authored the ARFID position statement.

Nick Thompson

Consultant Gastroenterologist, Newcastle Hospitals NHS FT

Dr Nick Thompson was appointed as a Consultant Gastroenterologist in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1998, having trained in Newcastle and the Royal Free Hospitals. He has been involved in developing an Intestinal failure service since around 2000 and then the multidisciplinary Northern Nutrition Network. In 2020 Newcastle was designated as an Integrated Intestinal failure service for the north-east of England and north Cumbria. Nick has been a member of BAPEN for many years and involved with BAPEN Medical before becoming President-elect in 2022 and President in 2023.

Pete Turner

Specialist Dietitan, Ulster Hospital, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust

Pete Turner qualified as dietitian in 1990, completing the postgraduate course following a degree in pharmacology. He has a Master’s degree in Health Sciences. He worked in Liverpool for over 20 years specialising on parenteral nutrition and ICU before taking up his current post as nutrition support clinical specialist at the Ulster Hospital in May 2016. He completed two full terms as chair of PENG in the ‘naughties’ before joining BAPEN Council as chair of the committee that organises their annual conference.

Tim Underwood

Professor of GI Surgery, University of Southampton

Tim Underwood is Professor of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK. He is an internationally recognised expert Upper GI surgeon with over 10 years’ experience as a consultant.

He trained in London and the Wessex region before completing a PhD in Molecular Biology and taking up an NIHR Clinical Lectureship in Surgery in 2008. In 2011 he was awarded a UK Medical Research Council Clinician Scientist Fellowship and in the same year he won the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland Prize and Gold Medal for outstanding performance in the Intercollegiate Specialty Examinations (General Surgery). He became a Cancer Research UK & Royal College of Surgeons of England Advanced Clinician Scientist Fellow in April 2017. Tim has been further recognised with the Sir Standford Cade Medal in 2018 and the Moynihan Lectureship and Medal in 2021.

Professor Underwood has developed a portfolio of activities to raise public awareness of the symptoms of oesophageal cancer with the goal of early diagnosis, including numerous radio and TV appearances, most recently featuring in the BBC documentary “Surgeons: At the Edge of Life”. He is a past Chairman of the Oesophageal Cancer Westminster Campaign and was a trustee of Heartburn Cancer UK for 12 years.

Emily Walters

Radiology Registrar, Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Sairah is an ST4 Radiology Registrar subspecialising in GI, based in Leeds. Passionate about anything relating to GI and improving patient safety!

Natalie Welsh

Lead Nutrition Specialist Nurse/Matron for Nutrition (Adults), Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust & Chair NNNG, National Nurses Nutrition Group

Having started her nursing career 30 years ago, Natalie moved from Nursing Auxiliary to student and then to staff nurse within the same speciality of colorectal and gastroenterology nursing. Deciding on a new adventure, she spent some time as a prison nurse before finding her true calling in Nutrition Support. Working for a homecare company in both enteral and parenteral nutrition she then found her way into a secondment with the Nutrition Support Team at the IFU, St Marks Hospital, Harrow. A family relocation up north took her back to the NHS; after successfully working as part of a team taking Tameside hospital out of special measures whilst winning BJN Nutrition Nurse of the Year award for implementing a smoother referral and vetting service for PEG referrals leading to a reduction in the post procedure mortality. Natalie then moved to her current role as Lead Nutrition Specialist Nurse/Matron for Nutrition (Adults) and has been a NNNG committee member since 2017 and took the role of chair in 2023. Natalie remains passionately committed to raising the profile of the Nurses voice in Clinical Nutrition and is delighted to have the continued opportunity as Chair of the NNNG.

Becky White

Specialty Clinical Lead, University Hospitals Leicester

Charlotte trained in Leicester and qualified as an RN in 2004. Since then she has worked predominantly in Gastro in a variety of roles.

Charlotte started as a Staff Nurse on a Gastro medical ward where she completed her BSc in Nursing and Professional Practice. Charlotte then took on the role of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Nurse, undertaking Nurse lead clinics, transition clinics and overseeing patients on biologic therapy.

After a period in day case medicine, Charlotte joined LIFT in October 2016 as a Nutrition Specialist Nurse, was promoted to Senior Nutrition Nurse in 2019, during this time she also completed her PG Cert in non-medical prescribing.

In 2022 Charlotte took over the lead role in the Adult Nutrition Support Team and is currently a committee member of NNNG and NGSIG

Mary Williamson

Lead Nurse Home Parenteral Nutrition, Lloyds Clinical

Mary is the Lead nurse for Home Parenteral Nutrition at Lloyds Clinical with 10 years’ experience within the clinical homecare sector, providing exceptional support to patients on HPN. She is dedicated to delivering high standards of care and has a passion for driving improvements for patients on Home Parenteral Nutrition.

Steve Wootton

Associate Professor in Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton

Dr Wootton PhD FAfN OBE is an Associate Professor in Nutrition in Medicine at the University of Southampton. He is acknowledged as one of the principal nutrition educators in the UK, training nutritionists, doctors, and other health professionals, as well as supporting the professional development of those with an interest in nutrition within clinical care, public health, and research. He has published over 200 papers, book chapters and conference proceedings. His research focusses on determining how differences in nutritional state malnutrition impacts risk, resilience, and therapeutic response to disease, especially gastrointestinal disease and cancer. He is the Deputy Chair of the NIHR Cancer and Nutrition Collaboration, the CTYA lead for the International Collaboration on Nutrition in relation to Cancer (ICONIC - a Task Force of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences). He is also leads the Community of Practice on Nutrition and Cancer in CTYA, hosted by the WHO Knowledge Action Portal on Non-Communicable Disease. This CoP aims to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration among researchers, clinicians, young people with cancer and their families, to improve care and outcomes.

Lauren Stevenson

Associate Chief Pharmacist – Aseptic Services, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Laura is Associate Chief Pharmacist for Aseptic Services at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, as well as being the medicines sustainability lead for the Trust. Laura leads 3 Aseptic units across the trust and is part of the pharmacy senior management team. Laura is the lead nutrition pharmacist at the trust and is responsible for parenteral nutrition provision to adult, paediatric and neonatal patients at King’s.

As well as this Laura is currently leading on the inhaler recycling pilot across South East London ICB and the anaesthetic gas waste reduction project at King’s. In August 2023 the anaesthetic gas waste reduction project was shortlisted for an HSJ award – Towards Net Zero.

Laura also leads on the equality, diversity and inclusion work for the department being a champion for EDI within the trust.

Mike Stroud

Consultant Gastroenterologist & Professor of Clinical Nutrition, Southampton University Hospitals Trust

Mike Stroud is a Consultant Gastroenterologist and Professor of Clinical Nutrition in Southampton. He has always maintained a specialist interest in patients requiring all modalities of artificial nutrition support and he ran the Southampton Nutrition support Team for more than 15 ys before stepping down in 2016. He has been a member of BAPEN since 1996 and was President from 2009 to 2016. As Chair of two separate NICE Guidance Development Groups, he led the work that resulted in the NICE Guidance on Nutrition Support in Adults and the use of Intravenous Fluids.

Emma Catling

Malnutrition Strategic Lead, Hywel Dda University Health Board

Emma Catling has been in her current Malnutrition Strategic Lead post in Hywel Dda University Health Board for the last 4 years. The post has been focussed on applying a ‘whole-system’ approach to addressing malnutrition across the Health Board. She has worked as a dietitian in Wales for 28 years, working across a variety of clinical settings, and was the regional lead kidney dietitian for over 20 years, for the South West Wales Kidney Services. Emma also sits on Bwrdd Cymru, supporting the British Dietetic Association deliver its strategic plan within Wales.

Emma has just completed her MSc in Advanced Health and Care management (specialising in Value-Based Health Care, VBHC). Completing this provided her with an excellent opportunity to use work-based learning to deliver prudent and VBHC solutions, for individual service users and wider systems benefits to address nutrition and hydration issues within the Health Board.

Tina Howe

Clinical lead Nutrition Support, Berkshire Healthcare foundation Trust

Tina is passionate about how as dietitians we can support patients reduce their risk of malnutrition, age healthily and how they can support patients to meet their nutritional requirements.

Tina started her career working in Reading, she then went to work in St Marys hositial as a HIV dietitian. She moved back to Reading to head a newly formed community nutrition support dietetic team, providing a comprehensive service to people in their own homes and care homes.

In order for patient living Berkshire to received optimal nutritional care Tina feels providing training resources for staff is a priority. This includes range of training videos for care home staff and patients, electronic MUST on Rio forms and action plans, developing conditional logic referral to service forms and a care aims based referral helpline for community wards.

Tina is committed to supporting the next generation of dietitians by facilitating on the Surrey University undergraduate Nutrition and Dietetics course and supporting dietetic placements in Berkshire.

Outside of work Tina loves to swim outdoors, cook and travel.

Fiona Leitch

Consultant Colorectal & Intestinal Failure Surgeon, Glasgow Royal Infirmary

Fiona is a Consultant Colorectal & Intestinal Failure Surgeon at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. She is one of two consultant surgeons who run the Intestinal Rehabilitation team and Home Parenteral Support clinic at GRI, covering the West of Scotland, and not infrequently, further afield too. Her surgical interests lie in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and surgical reconstruction in patients with Intestinal Failure.

Fiona graduated MB. ChB from the University of Glasgow in 2001 and was awarded MSc(R) from the same institution in 2014. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. Fiona is a passionate educator, with her students ranging from medical undergraduates, surgical trainees of all grades, to advanced nursing colleagues and is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow for these roles. Fiona has been involved with BAPEN for many years and was Secretary for BAPEN Medical for the past 6 years.

Fiona Leitch

Lead Nutrition Specialist Nurse/Matron for Nutrition (Adults), Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Natalie Welsh started her nursing career as a nursing auxiliary then staff nurse on a colorectal surgical ward, a short spell as a prison nurse followed, then in 2006 she began working for a homecare company as a community nutrition nurse, where a passion for nutrition support was born. This was further developed following a secondment with the nutrition support team & IFU at St Marks in Harrow. Since returning to the NHS in 2014 Natalie was part of the team that achieved Tameside Hospital NHS trust moving out of special measures, then moved to take up her current post which is Lead Nutrition Specialist Nurse/Matron at Manchester University Foundation NHS Trust.

Trevor Smith

Consultant Gastroenterologist, University Hospital Southampton

Trevor is a Consultant Gastroenterologist specialising in clinical nutrition and intestinal failure in Southampton. He is also the Director of Urgent and Emergency Care and Deputy Chief Medical Officer in Southampton. Trevor was BAPEN President from 2018 to 2023.

Ghislaine Swinburn

Primary Care Dietitian, Bristol Inner City PCN

Ghislaine is a highly skilled Dietitian with 30 years of experience encompassing the majority of clinical specialities within Dietetics in both Acute and Community settings. Under the ARRS Scene Ghislaine became the first dietitian in Primary Care. As part of her role, she works for Bristol’s Homeless Health Service. This led to Pathways Inclusion Health including setting up a Nutritional Subgroup, becoming a Fellow of Pathways and now leading on research on developing a specific nutritional screening tool for those people experiencing homelessness. This work has been recognised as Ghislaine won the CM award 2024 for ‘Commitment to Patient Care’.

Erin Stella Sullivan

Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences, King's College London

Erin is a Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London. She is a CORU and HCPC Registered Dietitian and in 2024, was awarded the Irish Nutrition & Dietetic Institute’s Research Dietitian of the Year Award for her work in cancer-related malnutrition.

In 2017, she was awarded a 1st Class Honours BSc in Human Nutrition & Dietetics from Dublin Institute of Technology & Trinity College Dublin. She then joined University College Cork, to undertake a PhD examining the breadth of the impact of nutrition on the lives of people living with and beyond cancer. She also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education and has a strong interest in improving education of pre- and post-registration dietitians. From 2021-2023, she completed an Irish Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship under the Enterprise Partnership Scheme, co-funded by Nualtra Ltd, evaluating the impact of a multimodal intervention to reduce nutritional deterioration in people receiving systematic anti-cancer therapy (SACT).

She has expertise in body composition methodology, including CT and ultrasound analysis, as well as experience in observational studies, mixed methods research, epidemiology and clinical trials. Her current research at KCL focusses on body composition methodology and dietetic skill development.

Nina Taherzadeh

Principal Pharmacist – Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Nina Taherzadeh graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2012 with MPharm degree and subsequently qualified as a pharmacist in 2013. She has been in her current role as Principal Pharmacist in Gastroenterology and Nutrition at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust since January 2023, having started at the Trust in 2016 as a rotational pharmacist. Nina has been a coordinating officer on the BPNG committee since 2022 and has recently been elected as the new Education Officer within BPNG.

She works closely within the Nutrition MDT to provide support to a wide range of complex patients with intestinal failure, especially in terms of parenteral nutrition support and medical management.

Nick Thompson

Consultant Gastroenterologist, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals

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. From November 2023 he has been President of BAPEN.

Kieran Tuohy

Chair in Energy Metabolism & the microbiome, University of Leeds

Professor Kieran Tuohy, University of Leeds, graduated (BSc, Industrial Microbiology) from University College Dublin, Ireland in 1993. He received an MSc in Environmental Microbiology from University of Aberdeen (UK) in 1995, and his PhD from the University of Surrey (UK) in 2000. Between 2000 and 2006 he trained as a post-doctoral researcher with Professor Glenn Gibson, University of Reading and in 2006 was appointed lecturer in Food Metabonomics at the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Reading. He joined Fondazione Edmund Mach, Trento, Italy in 2010 and led the Nutrition and Nutrigenomics Group there until January 2022. In February 2022, he was appointed chair in Energy Metabolism and Microbiome at the School of Food Science & Nutrition, University of Leeds, UK. He is Editor in Chief of the European Journal of Nutrition and a visiting Professor at Ulster University (UK), School of Biomedical Sciences. He has published over 190 international peer reviewed articles and book chapters in the areas of food chain microbiomes, nutrition, gut microbiology and diet:microbiome interactions. His Researcher ID/Publons h-index is 59 (G-9142-2011) and in 2014, he co-edited the book “Diet-Microbe Interactions in the Gut”, Elsevier. In 2019 I was recognised by Web of Science as a highly cited researcher – 2019 for production of multiple highly cited articles that ranked in the top 1% for the field, “cross-field” and year.

Professor Tuohy is a microbiologist working in the field of nutrition, food science and biotechnology. His research focuses on how microbiomes both within the gut and along the food chain impact on human/animal nutrition, health and disease risk. I have a particular interest in host:microbe interactions and the inter-Kingdom molecular communication channels which respond to diet and influence host health. My team has a particular interest in examining how different dietary components modulate the resident microbiota, their metabolic output, and their ability to impact on host health and chronic disease risk, including neurodegenerative diseases and Long-COVID. His research group use both pre-clinical models and human intervention studies, and apply metagenomics and metabolomics to measure the microorganisms present in the gut and the metabolites they produce. He is particularly interested in applying diverse pre-clinical models and small mechanistic studies in humans, to better understand how probiotics, prebiotics and plant stanols may mediate their purported health effects.

Pete Turner

Nutrition support clinical specialist, Ulster Hospital

Pete Turner qualified as dietitian in 1990, completing the postgraduate course following a degree in pharmacology. He has a Master’s degree in Health Sciences. He worked in Liverpool for over 20 years specialising on parenteral nutrition and ICU before taking up his current post as nutrition support clinical specialist at the Ulster Hospital in May 2016. He completed two full terms as chair of PENG in the ‘naughties’ before joining BAPEN Council as chair of the committee that organises their annual conference.

Emily Walters

Consultant Dietitian

Emily Walters qualified as a dietitian in 1993. She worked clinically in the NHS for over 20 years with senior roles in nutrition support and cancer care. Emily completed her Masters in leadership and management whilst Chief Dietitian at University Hospital Southampton. She was then awarded an NIHR clinical academic fellowship at the University of Southampton where she completed her PhD in ‘Family Carer Experiences of Eating and Appetite in Dementia.’ With a portfolio career, Emily is now focused on her interests of malnutrition, research, training and professional development. She is also a Director for the British Dietetic Association and a Panel Member for the Health and Care Professions Council. Her current voluntary roles include Malnutrition Officer and Malnutrition Action Group Chair, BAPEN, and member of the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances, Department of Health and Social Care.

Kevin Whelan

Professor of Dietetics, King’s College London

Kevin Whelan is the Professor of Dietetics and Head of Department of Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London. His research investigates the interaction between diet and the gut microbiome in health and disease, including in inflammatory bowel disease and disorders of gut-brain interaction including irritable bowel syndrome, functional constipation and functional bloating. He has published over 230 journal articles on fibre, probiotics, prebiotics, the low FODMAP diet, proteins, food additives and ultra-processed foods. Kevin is a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition that provides independent risk assessment and advice to UK Government Departments. He is a Founding Trustee of the Academy of Nutrition Sciences. In 2012 he was awarded the Nutrition Society Cuthbertson Medal for clinical nutrition, in 2017 was appointed a Fellow of the British Dietetic Association and in 2018 delivered the BDA Dr Elsie Widdowson Memorial Lecture.

Allison Yates

Specialist Dietitian in Peritoneal Malignancy, Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust

Allison is originally from Australia and has been living in the UK for over 20 years.

She graduated from Surrey University in 2010. In her 14 years as an NHS Dietitian she has worked with patients with a wide range of conditions including IBS, weight loss and nutrition support. She now specialises in peritoneal malignancy and surgery.

Charlotte Yates

Surgical registrar, Oxford University Hospitals

Miss Charlotte Yates is a surgical registrar in Oxford. She is currently taking time out of training to pursue a PhD in bowel transplant.

Alison Young

Consultant Nurse in Nutrition and Lead Nurse for R Homecare HPN service, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LUHFT)

I have been involved in the provision of nutritional support since commencing my post in 1998 as a Nutrition Specialist Nurse. In 2002, I became the first Consultant Nurse in Nutrition and since this time I have continued to advance my knowledge and skills in nutritional care and management.

I have been very fortunate to represent Nutrition nurses on many forums and committees locally, regionally and Nationally.

I teach on many local, regional, and National study days and courses and always keen to share my knowledge and skills to enhance the skills of other healthcare professional.

I have a very active clinical role performing many advanced endoscopic enteral tube related procedures and also placement and trouble shooting of a variety of venous access devices.

My proudest achievement was in 2016 when R Homecare HPN service was established and accepted onto the National HPN framework, the only NHS lead HPN service in the UK.

This service provides first class care delivery to patients in our region going home on Home parenteral solutions and has excellent reviews from patients and many healthcare providers.

I am very enthusiastic, motivated and passionate about ensuring all patients receive first class nutritional care along with providing education, support and training to everyone involved in Nutrition and Hydration delivery.

Out of work I enjoy being with my amazing family and spending time with my horse and running colleagues.

Palle Bekker Jeppesen

Clinical Professor, Rigshospitalet & University of Copenhagen

Palle Bekker Jeppesen, is Associate and Clinical Professor, MD, Dr.med/Sci., phd., dls., at the Department of Transplantation and Digestive Diseases, Section of Intestinal Failure 3-16-3, Rigshospitalet, and Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

His major research interests include patients with short bowel syndrome and intestinal failure with a recent focus on novel therapies for their management, rehabilitation and care.

Professor Jeppesen graduated in medicine from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1989 and completed his residency in medical gastroenterology at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. He completed his PhD thesis, entitled; The significance of the fatty acid chain-length for the clinical effect in the enteral and parenteral nutrition in patients with malabsorption in 1998 and his Doctor’s Degree, entitled; Intestinal insufficiency and failure, in 2003.

PBJ has published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters within this field, has more than 6000 citations and an H index of above 45.

Antje Teubner

Associate Specialist Intestinal Failure, Salford Hospital, Northern Care Alliance

Ms Teubner, originally from Germany, graduated in 1994. She undertook her postgraduate training in the UK in surgery and surgical specialties gaining operative and medical experience in the management of critically ill patients.

Ms Teubner worked since 2001 in the Intestinal Failure Unit - and since 2007 in the capacity of an Associate Specialist. She is a key member of the team and directly responsible for the day-to-day running of the unit. She oversees and coordinates the care of all medical and surgical patients on the Unit and is also practitioner in venous access management.

Ms Teubner has gained extensive experience in the management of patients with acute intestinal failure, as well as patients requiring long term intestinal rehabilitation (including vascular access management, management of high-output fistulae, short bowel and long term HPN complications).

In her role she leads the teaching and supervision of the junior doctors/clinical fellows on the unit and has expanded this remit by regularly presenting on national conferences, study days and symposiums as well as lecturing and running workshops on intestinal failure.

Steph Smith

Clinical Academic, Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust and Teesside University

Steph is a registered dietitian and Clinical Academic working across Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust and Teesside University. Her clinical experience predominantly lies within mental health and eating disorders across the North East and North West of England. Earlier in her career, she held clinical roles in specialist weight management and catering dietetics in Scotland.

Steph previously led the MSc Dietetics programme at Teesside University before transitioning into her current Clinical Academic role in 2025. Her research interests focus on the intersection of diet and mental health, with an emphasis on improving practice and outcomes in this area.

Steph also serves as Chair of the British Dietetic Association Mental Health Specialist Group, leading projects aimed at strengthening the mental health dietetic workforce and advancing the profession.

Lee Martin

Neurogastroenterology Dietitian, University College London Hospital

Lee Martin has been practicing as a registered dietitian for 17 years and has worked across primary, secondary and tertiary care as well as in academia. In 2018 he was appointed as the UK’s first Neurogastroenterology Dietitian at University College London Hospital (UCLH) where he works currently. In this role Lee works closely with the GI Physiology Unit and Neurogastroenterology Consultants in both inpatient and outpatient settings. His clinical practice and research interest is in the assessment and management of refractory Disorders of Gut Brain Interaction (DGBI) and motility disorders. He has pioneered a practical dietetic approach to support patients with their oral nutrition difficulties, while preventing the escalation of invasive nutritional therapy. Lee is always happy to discuss challenging neurogastro dietetic cases.

Cathy Cawley

Lead Nurse – Intestinal Failure Service, Salford, Salford Care Organisation, Northern Care Alliance (NCA)

Cathy Cawley is the Lead Nurse overseeing the Salford Intestinal Failure Unit and has a keen interest in intestinal failure, having worked within this field for 16 years. Cathy is a member of the NHS Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN) Stakeholder group and a key clinical voice for the on-going development of Clinical Intestinal Failure (CIF) National practices. Cathy also leads by evaluating standards of care in line with evidence-based practice across the field of Intestinal Failure and is committed to supporting and developing others. This includes continuous professional development and collaborating across the network of healthcare providers. Cathy displays visibility, teaching and regularly presents at international & national nutrition study days and conferences.

Melanie Coxall

Consultant Clinical Psychologist, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW)

Dr Coxall has worked as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist within the UHCW Severe Intestinal Failure Service since December 2024. Prior to this she spent over six years as the Clinical Lead within the NHS Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, supporting veterans with complex, service-related trauma and wide ranging needs. Dr Coxall has substantial experience of working within forensic mental health settings and with individuals with complex mental health and physical health needs, learning disability and autism. She has also offered training within organisations and the teaching of undergraduate and doctoral level psychology students.

Dr Coxall completed an undergraduate degree in psychology in 2001 and went on to complete an MSc in Forensic Psychology in 2004, before achieving a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2010. She has worked across a variety of clinical settings during her pre and post qualification career and is familiar with a range of therapeutic approaches. This has supported experience of working with trauma and with the gut-brain axis with patients in a range of environments and reinforces the importance of holistic approaches to psychological care and the focus on treating/understanding the whole person.

Matthew Lee

BHP Clinician Scientist & Honorary Consultant Colorectal Surgeon & Hunterian Professor (2025), University of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham

Mr. Matt Lee is a BHP Clinician Scientist & Honorary Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at the University of Birmingham & University Hospitals Birmingham. His practice includes elective colorectal surgery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and contribution to a full emergency general surgery on call service.

Mr Lee has a significant research interest in emergency surgery and perioperative care, with a major focus on bowel obstruction and nutrition. He helped lead the National Audit of Small Bowel Obstruction (NASBO). His research has explored aspects of this condition, including malnutrition and nutritional interventions. His work also includes the development of a PROM for gastrointestinal recovery.

He has been actively involved in national guidelines and policy, serving as an advisor to the National Confidential Enquiry on Patient Outcomes and Death on reports into IBD surgery, and intestinal obstruction. Mr. Lee is also the Surgical Specialty Lead for Emergency General Surgery research at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. His research has led to him being awarded a Hunterian Professorship for 2025 by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. His ongoing research includes both randomised trials and multi-method approaches to improve emergency surgical care.

John Mathers

Emeritus Professor of Human Nutrition, Newcastle University

John Mathers is Emeritus Professor of Human Nutrition in Newcastle University, UK. His major research interests are in understanding how eating patterns influence risk of age-related diseases including diabetes, dementia and cancer. This includes studies of the underlying mechanisms and investigation of lifestyle-based interventions to reduce disease risk. John Mathers was President of the Nutrition Society (2001-2004) and serves, or has served, on multiple research boards in the UK and internationally. He is a Trustee of the Rank Prize and the British Nutrition Foundation and, since 2019, has been Editor-in-Chief of the British Journal of Nutrition.

Alistair McKinlay

Chair of BAPEN Faculty, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

Dr. Alastair McKinlay was brought up and educated in Edinburgh and graduated from the University of Edinburgh Medical School in 1982. He was a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary from 1992 until he retired in 2022.

His specialist interests were nutrition, particularly eating disorders, and functional gastrointestinal conditions.

He was Secretary and President of the Scottish Society of Gastroenterology, Co-chair of the Scottish Government’s National Nutritional Advisory Board, and was appointed President -Elect of the British Society of Gastroenterology in 2018, becoming President and Chair of the Board of Trustees from 2020 to 2022. During that time, he led the BSG through the COVID pandemic and oversaw its advice on continuing services during the lockdowns. He was a member of Council of the Royal College of Physicians, London 2020-2022.

He has chaired BAPEN (Scotland) and is currently Co-Chair of BAPEN Faculty.

He is a trustee of Bowel Cancer UK, BAPEN, and the Aberdeen Med Chi Society.

Laura-Jane Smith

Consultant Respiratory Physician, King’s College Hospital NHS Trust

Dr LJ Smith is a Respiratory and Internal Medicine Consultant at Kings College Hospital, London where she primarily cares for patients with airways disease and Lung Cancer. She qualified as a medical doctor in 2006 after training in Cambridge and London. She joined Kings College as a Consultant in 2019. During training, she took time out to undertake a clinical teaching fellowship at UCL Medical School and completed a Diploma in Clinical Education. She has written two books on Respiratory medicine for doctors in training. She also completed a year of research, focusing on prognostication in severe COPD. She is a member of King’s Health Partners Clinical and Academic Group Exec with a focus on Population Health and is the British Thoracic Society Trustee for Sustainability. She is involved in work on air quality, inhaler recycling and climate and social justice. She has a Diploma in Lifestyle Medicine and incorporates the pillars of Lifestyle medicine into her NHS practice, with a particular interest in the power of plant-rich diets to support personal and planetary health. As a member of Plant Based Plant Professionals UK she supports the Plants First Healthcare initiative, empowering and supporting NHS hospitals to realise the benefits of increasing plant-based offerings for staff and patients.

Elizabeth Weekes

Visiting Associate Professor, Division of Medicine, University College London

Dr Liz Weekes is a retired dietitian with more than 35 years’ clinical and research experience in the detection and management of disease-related malnutrition. Her research focused on evaluating hospital and community-based initiatives designed to improve the nutritional care of older people and those at high risk of malnutrition.

A Cochrane-trained systematic reviewer, Dr Weekes was an invited member on several national and international guideline development groups including the Inter-Collegiate Stroke Working Party, the ESPEN guideline for nutrition in polymorbidity and the COPD and COVID-19 Malnutrition Pathways. With a special interest in the measurement of energy expenditure in clinical practice, she led the guideline committee on the estimation of nutritional requirements for the Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Group of the British Dietetic Association (BDA). The work was published in the Pocket Guide to Clinical Nutrition in 2018 and is currently being updated for publication in 2026.

In 2022 Dr Weekes was awarded Fellowship of the BDA for her contribution to the science and practice of dietetics throughout her career.

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