Previous Meetings and Events

2025

Northern Ireland Branch AGM

Our 2025 AGM took place virtually on 24 September 2025. The AGM covered the chair's report, financial report, confirmation of committee members, members questions and any other business. Thank you to those who attended.

BDA Northern Ireland Student Event: Exploring Careers in Dietetics

The BDA Northern Ireland Branch Student Committee hosted an event titled “Exploring Careers in Dietetics” on 9th April 2025 at Ulster University. The event aimed to showcase the diverse career opportunities available within the dietetic profession and to provide students with valuable insights into working across different sectors.

Guest speakers included Rebecca Mitchell, Key Account Manager at Nutricia, and Joanne Deery, Dietetic Team Lead at the Northern Health and Social Care Trust. Both speakers shared an overview of their roles and career journeys, followed by a Q&A session that allowed students to ask questions and gain practical advice on career progression and professional development.

A total of 31 students from across all Nutrition and Dietetics courses at Ulster University attended. The session concluded with a networking lunch kindly provided by Nutricia, giving students the opportunity to further engage with the speakers and one another in an informal setting. Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with many highlighting the value of learning directly from practising professionals and gaining a clearer understanding of potential career pathways.

BDA Northern Ireland Event: Connect, Celebrate and Collaborate

The BDA Northern Ireland Branch and Northern Ireland Board jointly hosted the “Connect, Celebrate and Collaborate” event in Ballymena in June 2025. The evening brought together dietitians and dietetic support workers from across all Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland to share learning, celebrate achievements, and strengthen professional connections.

The event opened with a welcome from Debbie McGugan, Chair of the BDA Northern Ireland Board, and Hilary Friel, Chair of the BDA Northern Ireland Branch. The programme featured a range of insightful presentations, including:

Pete Burbidge, AHP Lead, Department of Health – “The CAHPO Team: Who We Are and What We Do”
Jenny Kirkwood, Chair, Allied Health Professions Federation NI – “The AHP Federation Northern Ireland”
Fiona Audley RD, Professional Practice Officer, BDA – “Recognising the Value of the Dietetic Support Workforce Through Action and Advocacy”
Warren Edwards and Twyla Moffitt, Western HSC Trust – “Education in Dietetics: From University to the Workplace and Beyond”
Jill Smyth, Southern HSC Trust – “The Role of the Dietitian as Part of the Frailty Team in the Emergency Department”
Michelle Graham-Steele, Northern HSC Trust – “Public Health Meets Personal Practice: Why Staying Current Is a Team Sport”
Christine McColgan, South Eastern HSC Trust – “Dietetics at the Heart of the Hub”
Sarah-Jane Nelson, Belfast HSC Trust – “Intestinal Rehabilitation – Less Failure, More Success”

The evening concluded with networking and the opportunity for attendees to visit sponsor exhibition tables, where companies showcased a range of nutritional products and resources.

This inspiring event exemplified the collaborative spirit of the dietetic community in Northern Ireland, offering an opportunity to connect, share practice, and celebrate the profession’s collective impact.

2024

Public Health Event

The Northern Ireland Branch held an event in the Europa Hotel, Belfast on Wednesday 12th June 2024. Guest speakers from the Public Health Dietitians Group were in attendance. Special thanks to Abbott, Fresenius Kabi, Nualtra, Nutricia and Nutrinovo for their support.

Agenda

6.10pm Welcome Hilary Friel, Chair NI Branch

6.15pm Introduction Katie Hunter, Chair PHDG

6.20pm Food insecurity within Northern Ireland - an overview of food banks and social supermarkets Antionette Leonard, BHSCT

6.35pm Putting health on the menu - nutritional standards in HSC Collette O'Brien, SHSCT

6.50pm The use of Canva to create engaging online resources Vanessa McMinn, SHSCT

Followed by hot food buffet and networking.

Social Media Event

The Northern Ireland Branch held a virtual meeting on wednesday 21 February 2024. The following topics were covered:

Revised standards of conduct, performance and ethics with guidance on social media - Florence Milliken - HCPC - Download slides

How the BDA can support members through these changes and those in breech of the standards with Najia Qureshi, BDA Director, Education and Professional Practice

Dietitians’ Guide to TikTok: how to create engaging social content with Tom Tracey, BDA Digitial Content Manager

Q&A Session with Liz McKnight, Dietetic Manager and Katie Hunter, Public Health Dietitians to help discuss what this means in terms of 'real life' dietetics

Click here for Attendance Certificate

Nutrition in the Community - Building Capacity on the Island of Ireland

The Nutrition in the Community event took place in the Richmond Education and Event Centre on 26 February 2024. The event provided an overview of some of the current community work happening on the island of Ireland and stimulated useful discussions among nutrition professionals on how to increase capacity and expand on current programmes.

2023

2018

Study day 3 May 2018

Presentations

1. Dr Sinead Duggan - Chronic Pancreatiti

2. Kerry Brennan - Tissue Viability

3. Joanne Deery - International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI)

2017

12th June 2017 - Dietitians Week

Hello from the Ulster Hospital. A great turnout in Belfast for the event. #DietitiansWeek

Kate McCulla presents the evidence on weight loss. Here is a link for those of you who missed the event or want a copy of the slides: read Kate's presentation slides.

Jayne and Claire, Specialist Diabetes Dietitians, SEHSCT can give the facts on Diabetes and Diet.

2016

NI Research Symposium UUJ, 30th November 2016

Thanks to all our excellent speakers at the Symposium and a special thanks to Aymes our sponsor. Lots of brilliant work being done in NI #NIdietitians.

NI Branch Meeting 24th Nov 2016

The Larkin Room, Postgraduate Centre, Belfast City Hospital.

Dr Kirsten Whitehead, DIET-COMMS project lead, shared her work on a new training package to support the development and enhancement of communication skills in healthcare.

Anne Myers-Wright dietitian showed us how to promote ourselves and our profession using social media,.

Aisling Hall provided an overview of implementing Dietetic Outcomes in Northern Ireland so far.

CPD event and AGM - 22 June 2016

17.30 – 20.00, Innovation Centre, Ulster Hospital, Belfast

The event was attended by over 60 members and was an opportunity to hear from Joanne Casey from the Food Standards Agency on the newly revised EatWell Plate and discuss the new changes in detail. Andy Burman, BDA Chief Executive gave an overview on what the BDA is doing for you. The Branch AGM also took place and members were given an opportunity to discuss the future of the Branch.

Members utilised the videoconferencing facilities at South West Acute Hospital, Enniskillen, Altnagelvin Hospital and Antrim Area Hospital.