Dietitians Insurance

Despite the profile of professional organisations such as The British Dietetic Association, there is limited guidance available regarding an important aspect of the business side of the dietetic profession – namely, what insurance is needed.

Dealing with people’s medical records and making health-related recommendations is integral to the role of a Dietitian, meaning it’s important you have sufficient cover in case something goes wrong and legal action is taken against you by a client. If you are a self-employed Dietitian, or run your own business, insurance can also help if damage is sustained to your premises or stock, if an employee or member of the public is injured on your premises, or if an unforeseen event interferes in some way with your ability to operate.

Qualifying as a registered Dietitian involves extensive study, and for many brings with it the challenges of running a business in a regulated field. With those pressures in mind, we created this group to simplify the process of finding the right insurance. By joining, you can use the collective buying power you share with your peers to obtain a better deal on the insurances Dietitians need.

When 20 Dietitians join the group, we will begin negotiations with insurance companies to achieve this So if you know other Dietitians who will benefit from a better deal on their insurance, why not invite them to join this group too? The more people who join, the better the offers we can agree on your behalf.

By Ronny Lavie

Top questions answered by us

• Doesn’t the British Dietetic Association (BDA) provide members with insurance?

  Professional Indemnity Insurance to the value of £3m is included in full membership of the BDA, but not for all membership categories. The annual cost of full membership is £263 - £273 depending on payment method. Membership of the BDA does not include insurance cover for public liability, employer's liability, buildings and contents, or business interruption.

• What types of insurance do Dietitians need?

  Professional Indemnity Insurance for Dietitians (sometimes called PI Insurance), protects against lawsuits by clients who are harmed as a result of professional negligence or malpractice. Dietitians’ Public Liability Insurance is needed in case a client hurts themselves in the Dietitian’s business premises (whether at a home-based consulting room or a separate practice); it also covers you if your client’s home is damaged as a result of your business. You can also get stock insurance, to cover any stock or money you keep at your business premises, as well as building insurance for the premises. Lastly, you can be covered for loss of income through business interruption, if you are unable to practice as a result of illness or damage to your business premises.

• What are the issues that might lead to a legal claim against a Dietitian?

  You are recommending certain foods and supplements to people and so, if a client has an adverse reaction to a product you recommended, they might hold you responsible. If they suffer any health issues due to your advice, they might decide to take you to court. Additionally, as a Dietitian, you have access to people’s sensitive information, in the form of health records. If you inadvertently break confidentiality or data protection laws, action can be taken against you.