Feature - Q&A Principal Dietitian Amy Carter
What does your role involve?
I currently work as the Principal Dietitian for Neuroscience. Clinically, I undertake dietetic assessments with patients on the intensive care unit (ICU). I also take a service lead role in the Dietetic Department. As Dietitians at The Walton Centre, we provide dietetic input for all inpatients, in addition to a small number of outpatient clinics, for patients with motor neurone disease (MND) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO). On a daily basis, I support junior staff members to develop skills and passion to take ownership for the development and promotion of the dietetic team. We complete service evaluation and audit work across all aspects of dietetics including anthropometry, nutritional requirements and glycaemic control whilst providing patient-centred dietetic care for our patients.
How does it help patients?
Dietitians are degree-qualified health professionals who help to promote nutritional well-being, treat disease and prevent nutrition related problems. We provide practical and safe advice which is based on current scientific evidence.
We undertake nutritional assessment and provide dietary guidance across a variety of patients with neurological conditions. Neurological conditions can have significant implications in terms of nutritional status and intake for patients. Dietitians consider the extent and nature of these effects during nutritional assessment and deliver patient centre dietary interventions.
We offer tailored nutrition support to meet individual patient requirements dependent upon various factors including their age, gender, nutritional status and medical condition. Dietitians recommend and review the most appropriate route of nutrition by providing tailored feeding regimens which could be through oral intake, enteral tube feeding or intravenous feeding.
What's it like to work at The Walton Centre?
The Walton Centre is a very rewarding place to work; we are a small and friendly team of dietitians who are well-established and respected within the multidisciplinary teams at The Walton Centre.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
I love being part of a multi-disciplinary team, which works together to deliver best practice patient centred care for all our patients. The opportunity to support patients through their journey from ICU, the acute wards, and neurorehabilitation is a rewarding and invaluable experience which I feel privileged to be a part of each day.
Where do your passions lie?
During my career I have developed a passion for Dietetics in Critical Care and Trauma; I was fortunate to chair the British Dietetic Association Trauma Subgroup, which involved the development of dietetic resources to support dietitians nationally who are working in trauma. It also gave the opportunity to promote the role of dietitians within ICU and trauma both locally and nationally. I am passionate in supporting my team and I take an active role in empowering junior team members, including students, with the skills and opportunities to shape the future of their dietetic careers.
Patient Case Study
Last summer [2025], Anas Makaev started to lose strength in his legs and hands. He developed a bad headache and his eyesight started to deteriorate. As Anas' condition got worse and worse, clinicians diagnosed him with Guillame Barre Syndrome (GBS). Put in an induced coma to slow his symptoms and begin treatment, Anas spend months at The Walton Centre, particularly the Complex Rehabilitation Unit, to continue his rehabilitation.
Anas said: “Everyone at The Walton Centre treated me like part of the family. Staff built a nice relationship with me, held me up when I felt down, and protected me. The Dietitian team, in particular, played a huge part in my recovery.”
Anas had a feeding tube, which put food directly into his stomach, and his nutrition was managed by the team in CRU to ensure he was getting the vital nutrients he needed to continue recovering.
He continued: “The dietitians were incredibly important. They ensured I had the energy I needed each day, so I could do my other therapies, such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Without that nutrition giving me a boost, I wouldn't have been able to work on getting out of bed and being more mobile.”
Since his stay at The Walton Centre, Anas has moved to a rehabilitation unit closer to home in Liverpool, where he continues to recover.
He said: “Using the crutch I can move around more on my own now, I'm able to go to the bathroom and shower unaided. I'm hoping with more time and energy I can get back to something close to normal before developing GBS. I just want to say a huge thank you to the team in how they supported me while I was on CRU. It was important to me to have them behind me, supporting me and pushing me to recover.”
You can read more news, staff and patient stories in the latest edition of Neuromatters.