Alison’s current job is as a research dietitian in intestinal failure and home parenteral nutrition (HPN) at St Mark’s Hospital in Harrow where she has worked since 1998. St Mark’s is a national centre for the treatment of patients with complex intestinal failure requiring artificial nutrition.

Her clinical role involves being a member of the nutrition team initiating and monitoring patients requiring parenteral nutrition and complex enteral nutrition and setting them up for home.

She completed her PhD in 2010 which investigated the manipulation of amino acids (glutamine and taurine) in HPN on patient outcomes as well as patient knowledge and behaviour change. In addition she investigated the immune status of patients on HPN specifically their dendritic cell and gut homing lymphocytes function.

Alison lectures nationally and internationally on intestinal failure and parenteral nutrition.

Having moved from working as a dietitian within the NHS, I now work for a medical nutrition company using my dietetic background/experience in a different way. It is great to be part of such an active and passionate specialist dietetic interest group and keep up to date with dietetics at the same time. As Communications Officer for PENG I can honestly say it varies on a day to day basis, catching up with queries from PENG members, updating the website, overseeing upcoming PENlines, liaising with BAPEN on communications related topics on behalf of PENG, all in the hope of making PENG as interactive as possible for members and striving to support excellence in nutritional care.

Being a PENG member is important to me as it is a fantastic group and a key source of information for Dietitians working in nutrition support. The PENG Pocket Guide is a daily essential for many Dietitians and completing the PENG Clinical Update course has developed my knowledge and given me confidence critically appraising research relevant to my area of work, resulting in improved practice and patient care.

My new role within the PENG Committee is Ordinary Member. This is a great opportunity to learn from highly experienced Dietitians and be guided by them on project work and tasks as required. I hope to share my skills and experience moving forward with the group throughout 2014.

Since graduating from Queen Margaret University and starting my career as a rotational Dietitian in 2008, I have gained experience in a variety of areas including surgery and gastroenterology. I currently work on Sunderland Royal Hospital's Integrated Critical Care Unit, providing nutritional care for ICU and HDU patients. My role includes attendance at the multidisciplinary ward round and ensuring an appropriate feeding plan is in place for each patient. I update our nutrition protocols and advise the team on rehab pathways where required. I also play a key role as part of the Trust’s Nutrition Support Team and Nutrition Steering Group.

Contact Details:
Dietetic Department
Sunderland Royal Hospital
Kayll Road
Sunderland
SR4 7TP
Eileen.Baker@chsft.nhs.uk

Pete qualified as a dietitian in Leeds (1990) with a Post Graduate Diploma following a degree in pharmacology from Manchester. After gaining a Masters in Health Sciences, he worked as a Basic Grade Dietitian at Manchester Royal Infirmary before moving to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital (RLUH) in 1992.

Specialising in parenteral nutrition, enteral nutrition and critical care, he has developed many protocols in these areas in association with RLUH’s high profile nutrition team.

Contact Details:
Nutrition Support Dietitian
Royal Liverpool University Hospital
Daulby Street
Liverpool
L69 3GA
Peter.turner@rlbuht.nhs.uk

Emma is the Nutrition and Dietetic Service Lead at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust. She has specialised in various aspects of nutrition support for 11 years, including critical care, community nutrition support and home enteral feeding. In her previous roles, she has successfully obtained funding as a full time Critical Care Dietitian through building a strong rapport with the critical care team and cost savings through reduced use of PN. She was a clinical advisor for the NCEPOD Parenteral Nutrition Study 2009. She has also spent time as the Community Nutrition Support Team Lead, establishing a city wide service, liaising with commissioners and streamlining processes. She currently manages the home enteral feeding caseload alongside the nutrition nurse, carrying out joint clinics and visits.

She became a member of PENG after attending the clinical update in 2006. Attending the course opened her eyes to what PENG could offer a Dietitian working in nutrition support, understanding fully what the pocket guide can offer as well the online support from other members.

She is currently the treasurer of the PENG committee, entering her second term. She previously held the position of meetings organiser, having been on the committee for 7 years. She also holds a seat on the ACBS committee.

Contact Details:
Nutrition and Dietetic Services
Agile Office
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Queen Elizabeth Avenue
Sherriff Hill
Gateshead
NE9 6SX
Emma.Emmerson@ghnt.nhs.uk

I have been a Home Enteral Feed Dietitian in Sheffield since 2004. I love the problem solving part of this role, where the patient is placed right at the centre of devising ways to reduce the impact enteral feeding and their clinical condition has on patients day-to-day lives. I strongly believe that the support of a Home Enteral Feeding Dietitian can both improve health outcomes and positively effect quality of life and well-being of both patients and their families. Joining the PENG committee has allowed for me to affect practice further afield than the boundaries of Sheffield, through developing guidance and patient information or contributing to educational events, with the amazing support of the other highly motivated and experienced committee members.

On graduation as a registered dietitian, Imogen went to work for the NHS, where she spent 10 years, specialising in the field of nutrition support. This involved providing nutritional expertise in several different clinical areas such as ICU and oncology. Imogen also spent 6 years working as a Home Enteral Feeding dietitian.

Imogen now works for a medical nutrition company as one of the Medical Nutrition Managers, where she provides scientific support and shares her clinical knowledge with colleagues, as well as managing the Medical Nutrition team. She is a member of the British Dietetic Association (BDA), and is also a member of several of the specialist groups of the BDA. Imogen is the Secretary for the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) Education and Training Committee and provides the link between the BAPEN Education and Training Committee and the Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Group, with the aim of providing communication between the groups.

I graduated in 2012 from Queen Margaret University after completing my MSc in Dietetics. Since graduating I’ve worked as a Community Dietitian for 5 Borough Partnership NHS Trust across Knowsley and St Helens. Here, I’ve specialised in Home Enteral Feeding and commenced an MSc in Advanced Practice.

I recently joined PENG as an ordinary committee member as I’m passionate about the importance of staying up to date with clinical practice and promoting the value of nutrition support. PENG is recognised nationally for providing updates relevant to practice and supporting policy development and I feel honoured to be able to contribute to the fantastic work that the committee does.