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Dietitians Registration Board

The Dietitians Registration Board is due to open on the 31st October 2014

What is the DRB?

The objective of the DRB is to protect the public by fostering high standards of professional conduct, education, training and competence among those registered.
The DRB consists of 13 voluntary members with a lay majority as follows: 6 registrants of their profession (3 engaged in the practice of that profession, 2 engaged in the management of services provided by it and one in the education and training of it). 1 from each of the following - management of the public health sector, the social care sector or both, one from a voluntary or private sector organisation concerned with health or social care, one involved in the training of that profession and 4 representing the interest of the general public).

What is the role of the DRB?

The DRB will:
• Establish and maintain the register for the profession
• Issue certificates of registration
• Give guidance regarding ethical conduct, practice of the profession and continuous professional development
• Approve education and training programmes
• Monitor the continuing suitability of programmes approved for the education and training of applicants for registration
• Make recommendations to Council regarding sanctions to be imposed on registrants.

What are the benefits of registration?

• Only professionals on the Register from each of the professions above will be legally allowed to use the title of Dietitian
• Members of the public will now have greater confidence in your profession. They will know that your professional standing and qualifications have been independently verified
• You will be supported in your work through a code of professional conduct and ethics which is developed in consultation with the professions
• It also protects the reputation of the professions by having a formal disciplinary procedure for dealing with professionals who do not meet the standards expected of them.

DRB Opening – 2 year transitional period

Following the opening of a Register there is a two year transitional period to allow existing practitioners time to apply for registration and satisfy the DRB that they meet the requirements.

It is important to note that not all qualifications considered for registration during this two year transitional period will be approved qualifications going forward.

Existing practitioners can apply with the following schedule of legacy qualifications (also known as Schedule 3) and apply when their Register opens in order to avail of these transitional arrangements.

1. Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Dublin and Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the Dublin Institute of Technology, or
2. Diploma in Dietetics and Nutrition from the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee awarded after 1976 and before 1987, or
3. Diploma in Dietetics from the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee awarded after 1951 and before 1977.

If a qualification is gained outside the Republic of Ireland, the name of the Competent Authority, which is the Department of Health for Dietitians, and the date of the letter of Recognition/Accreditation must be provided.

New entrants with international qualifications must first have their qualification recognised by CORU before they are eligible to apply for registration.

If a practitioner does not hold a Schedule 3 qualification, approved qualification or a sufficiently relevant qualification they will have to undertake an assessment of professional competence. If this is successfully completed they can be considered for registration.

End of two year transitional period

After the close of the transitional period for a profession only those who hold an approved qualification as listed in the relevant Bye-Law will be allowed to apply for registration.

DRB Q & A document

The INDI raised several queries in relation to the upcoming opening of the DRB. The from CORU to our questions can be found by clicking on  pdf DRB Q&A Document (353 KB) .

More information on the DRB can be found on www.coru.ie.

The INDI will have DRB information stands at the INDI symposia in September and also at the INDI conference on the 11th October with a presentation on the DRB at the AGM.

 

Background information regarding statutory registration for Dietitians may be found in the following presentation presented at the 2008 INDI AGM by Margaret Doyle.

pdfStatutory Registration For Dietitians: What You Need To Know

Information regarding the legal implications of statutory registration may be found in the following presentation presented at the 2008 INDI AGM by Cliondha McDonagh.

pdfLegal Implications Of Statutory Registration For Clinical Dietitians