Year 4 Clinical Practice

About Year 4 Clinical Training at BCNH

Year 4 is dedicated to intensive clinical training. Those students who wish to pursue a career practicing nutritional therapy will be required to complete Year 4 Clinical Training.

Although BCNH students have completed approximately 20 BCNH-set case studies during the first 3 years at BCNH, Year 4 clinical practice is intense in theory and practice.

Year 4 clinical training is dedicated to real life situations where students see clients face to face, under the supervision and guidance of a Clinical Tutor / Supervisor. Each client has 3 – 4 sessions with a Student Practitioner (SP). This enables the SP to monitor their clients’ progress and to reflect on the effectiveness of the prescribed nutritional recommendations.

Why is Year 4 a demanding year?

  • BCNH Year 4 training is not just about developing clinical skills. In order to pass a consultation, a Student Practitioner is required to demonstrate their technical knowledge such as a thorough understanding of how various dietary & lifestyle factors affect their client’s health. These must be explained to the client in a client friendly language. The aim is to ‘educate’ the client to ensure maximum compliance.
  • Year 4 students are expected to use, interpret and explain common functional & biochemical tests, which they will apply to support their findings.
  • Year 4 students are required to prepare a written report for each client based on the college supplied template. The reports must be referenced where appropriate.

Overseas / Distance Learning (DL) students

  • DL students must attend 2 intensive training weekends in Year 4. Each weekend will consist of 3 days of intensive training and role play. This will help to iron out any difficulties and help to boost confidence.
  • DL students will conduct their live clinical assessments via Skype. The Student Practitioner and the client must be in the same room; positioned in such a way that the Clinical Supervisor can clearly see and hear both.

About the Year 4 Nutrition Consultations

Year 4 consultations include diet and lifestyle analysis & nutritional recommendations based on the analysis of the client’s Health Programme Questionnaire (HPQ) and any biochemical or functional tests they may have done. The aim is to inform the client about their nutritional strengths and weaknesses, so that clients can take control of their own health and make ‘educated’ choices about their diet and lifestyle.

Stage 1:  (1.5 hr approx.)

A fact finding consultation & diet/lifestyle analysis & recommendations

This stage involves analysis of the client’s completed Health Programme Questionnaire (HPQ) and general diet & lifestyle recommendations. The client’s dietary and lifestyle strengths and weaknesses will be highlighted and recommendations presented in a written report, which the Student Practitioner (SP) will email to the client, following the consultation. The SP will also set goals and objectives for the client’s health outcomes.

Stage 2: (1.5 hr approx.)

Analysis & explanations of the client’s main health concerns and a nutritional treatment plan

This stage is approx 3 weeks later, as the SP’s preparation work must be checked & approved by a BCNH-qualified Clinical Tutor first. At this stage the SP will explain their findings about the client’ main health concerns, such as various contributing factors and their mechanisms. They may also suggest biochemical or functional tests if necessary in addition to a personalised supplement programme to address any nutritional imbalances. All recommendations will be presented in a written report, which will be emailed to the client following the consultation.

Stage 3: (1 hr approx.)

A follow-up consultation approx. 5 weeks later

Before a client’s follow-up consultation, they will be asked to evaluate their progress on the Client Symptoms Sheet. This will help the SP evaluate their client’s progress and identify any residual symptoms. The client’s diet, lifestyle and supplement programme will be reviewed and any biochemical or functional tests that they may have done will be explained. New recommendations will be given accordingly.

Stage 4: (30 – 45 min. approx.)

This is a second follow-up consultation approx. 5 weeks later.

The purpose of this consultation is to review the nutritional programme and to agree a long-term (6 months) nutritional strategy plan for the client to follow.

Year 4 Qualification

On successful completion of the Year 4 Clinical training, students will be awarded a BCNH Diploma in Nutritional Therapy, which is now accredited by the Nutritional Therapy Council (NTC).

Graduates of courses that have been fully accredited to Stage 2 are eligible to apply for direct entry to the professional register held by the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), which is supported by the Department of Health.

Who is eligible to enrol on the BCNH Year 4 Clinical Training?

Apart from BCNH students who have successfully completed the BCNH Diploma in Nutrition and Health, graduates from other institutions can also enrol on BCNH Year 4 Clinical Training. Enrolment is on a discretionary basis and subject to previous qualifications.

Year 4 Clinical Practice Training graduates who do not hold a BCNH Diploma will be awarded a BCNH Certificate of Clinical Practice, which does not automatically guarantee a register to the CNHC register.