Dietician who helped to create new service at HMP Berwyn shortlisted for top national nutrition award

A North Wales dietitian has been shortlisted for Clinical Nutrition (CN) Professional of the Year at the upcoming CN Awards.

Fran Allsop splits her time between Ysbyty Glan Clwyd as a specialist oncology dietitian, and HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, one of the largest prisons in the UK, where she helped set up a new dedicated dietetics service.

Here she receives referrals via telephone or in face-to-face clinics for a wide range of conditions including, weight management, type 2 diabetes mellitus, coeliac disease, oncology patients, food refusal, oral nutritional support, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Fran also recently started a first of its kind weight management group for the men at the prison and manages the nutritional needs and risks of prisoners on food refusal.

Fran said: “I set up the dietetic service at HMP Berwyn which supports the men at the prison.

“This could be for things like wanting to lose weight, to learn how to control their diabetes, manage their gastro disorder symptoms or those that at risk of malnutrition for weight gain advice. Previously this service didn’t exist at all at the prison.”

She added: “My role at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd is very different. I support the nutritional needs of patients along their cancer journey, predominantly the care of upper gastrointestinal cancer and head and neck cancer patients – to include tube feed management, pancreatic enzyme education and nutritional support.”

Her line manager at the prison, Jacqui Learoyd, said: “Fran had to effectively redesign and implement a service which would provide assessment and care to 2,106 men who are located in the prison.

“The men who reside at HMP Berwyn very much value the care and treatment which she offers them, and the clinical outcomes have been excellent for physical and social health. In my view, it is very easy to see why Fran has been shortlisted for this award.”

The CN Awards recognises excellence and achievement in clinical, medical and health nutrition.

Fran was nominated by dietitian Suzanne Parry at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, who said: “Aside from her accomplishments at the prison and in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, the main reason I nominated Fran is due to her infectious and obvious passion for her roles, and the dietetic profession.

“You only have to be in her presence, listen to her podcast, or scroll her social media pages for a matter of minutes, for her enthusiasm and dedication to become apparent.”

Fran is active on social media and promotes her work and the dietetic profession on Twitter (@franwaldock) and Instagram (@theprisondietitian).

You can vote for Fran in the 2022 CN Awards here before voting closes on July 21 2022.