Trusted Nutrition Advice For Learning Disabilities In Nottingham
Finding the right nutrition support can feel difficult when advice needs to be tailored around communication needs, food preferences, routines, sensory challenges and wider health concerns. At The Riverside Dietitians, we provide nutrition advice for learning disabilities in Nottingham that is practical, evidence-based and built around the individual, working closely with families, carers, case managers and the wider MDT to support safe, realistic progress.
Specialist Dietetic Support Built Around The Individual
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HCPC-registered dietitian with over 10 years of clinical experience
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Experience across NHS, private practice, inpatient, outpatient and community settings
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One-to-one appointments tailored to the person, not a generic plan
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Support for families, carers, case managers and multidisciplinary teams
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Advice shaped around food aversions, preferences and texture modification needs
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In-person appointments at our Nottinghamshire clinic and virtual consultations available
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Flexible reviews, including daytime, evening and selected weekend appointments
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Ongoing messaging support between sessions
Speak with Sophie directly on 07935 897304 or email sophie@theriversidedietitians.com to discuss the right support for your situation.
Specialist Support For Complex Nutritional Needs
People with learning disabilities and intellectual disabilities can face a wide range of nutrition-related challenges, and those challenges are rarely solved with standard advice. Eating habits may be shaped by routine, sensory preferences, oral intake difficulties, bowel issues, medication, mental health, dependence on carers, or limited food variety. For some individuals, there may also be concerns around weight loss, weight gain, constipation, low fibre intake, poor hydration, selective eating or reduced nutritional adequacy.
At The Riverside Dietitians, we take a person-centred approach that looks at the full picture. That means understanding not only what someone is eating, but also how they eat, who supports them, what barriers are present and what changes are realistic in day-to-day life.
Our role is to make nutrition clearer, safer and easier to manage. We do that by breaking complex advice into practical steps and adapting recommendations to the individual, their communication needs and the people involved in their care.
Where relevant, we can also support clients with related needs through our wider dietitian services, including help with general nutrition, digestive concerns and structured dietary support.
A Clinical & Compassionate Approach To Complex Care
Sophie Mumby is an HCPC-registered dietitian with over 10 years of clinical experience and a background that includes NHS and private practice work across inpatient, outpatient and community settings. That experience is especially valuable when supporting people with more complex nutritional needs, where progress may depend on careful communication, joined-up care and a realistic understanding of daily life.
We regularly work alongside:
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Parents and family members
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Paid carers and support workers
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Case managers
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Care coordinators
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Other members of the multidisciplinary team
This joined-up way of working helps ensure that nutrition advice is not only clinically sound, but also practical to implement consistently.
Home visits may be available on request. Please get in touch to discuss availability.
What We May Help With In Practice
The exact plan will always depend on the person, but support often includes practical advice around common day-to-day issues.
Selective Eating & Food Variety
For individuals with a very limited range of accepted foods, we work to understand the pattern behind food refusal or restriction and identify manageable ways to improve nutritional balance without creating unnecessary distress.
Weight & Nutritional Intake
Where there are concerns about low intake, unplanned weight loss, slow weight gain or excess weight gain, we provide structured advice that balances clinical need with realistic implementation.
Bowel Health & Hydration
Constipation and poor fluid intake are common concerns. We can help review fibre intake, fluid patterns, mealtime structure and other contributing factors to support better bowel health.
Textures & Mealtime Needs
Some individuals need food texture adjustments or benefit from changes to the eating environment, meal timing or support approach. We factor these needs into recommendations wherever appropriate.
How Appointments Work
Initial Assessment & History
Food Intake & Challenges
We explore the day-to-day reality of eating, including preferred foods, aversions, sensory considerations, textures, routines, bowel health, hydration and any support already in place from family or professionals.
Personalised Nutrition Plan
Recommendations are tailored to the individual and designed to be realistic. That may include meal structure guidance, food ideas, bowel health strategies, nutrition support for weight concerns, hydration goals or texture-related adaptations.
Reviews & Ongoing Support
Review appointments can be arranged weekly, monthly or at a pace that suits the person and their support network. We also offer ongoing messaging support between sessions to help with consistency and questions as things progress.
Your first appointment is a one-to-one consultation with an experienced specialist dietitian. We take time to understand the person's medical background, eating patterns, current concerns, goals and any practical barriers that may be affecting progress.
Appointments are available virtually or in person at our clinic in Nottinghamshire, with each consultation lasting around one hour.
Why Families & Professionals Choose The Riverside Dietitians
Families and referrers often need more than nutrition advice alone. They need a clinician who understands complexity, communicates clearly and can adapt recommendations to real-world care settings.
People choose The Riverside Dietitians because we offer:
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A medically informed, evidence-based approach
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Extensive clinical experience across different care settings
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Compassionate, non-judgemental support
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Advice tailored to the individual, not copied from a standard template
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Flexibility for families, carers and professionals
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A calm, professional service that values collaboration
We also understand the importance of clear boundaries and honest guidance. Where another professional is better placed to support part of the picture, that should always be acknowledged as part of good care.
For trusted public guidance around supporting people with learning disabilities, the NHS learning disabilities information and the British Dietetic Association are useful additional resources.
Supporting Clients In Nottinghamshire & Beyond
We provide in-person support from our clinic near Nottingham and work with clients across the surrounding area, including:
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Nottingham
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Burton Joyce
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West Bridgford
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Gedling
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Newark
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Wider Nottinghamshire
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Lincolnshire
We also offer virtual appointments, which can be especially helpful for families, carers and professionals who need flexibility or are based further away.
Local support matters, but what matters most is finding a dietitian with the right clinical background, communication style and experience to support complex needs well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Take The Next Step With Specialist Dietetic Support
When nutrition needs are more complex, the right advice can make a meaningful difference to health, confidence and day-to-day life. At The Riverside Dietitians, we provide thoughtful, clinically informed support for people with learning disabilities and intellectual disabilities, always tailored to the individual and the people supporting them.
Whether you are a family member, carer, case manager or someone seeking support for yourself, we are here to help you move forward with clear, realistic guidance.
Call: +44 7935 897304
