Sue Potgieter – RN, rANP, rGNC
Sue is a registered nutritionist and naturopath and as part of our customer services team, she is committed to helping our customers optimise their health.
About Sue
Voted Clinician of the Year by the College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2017, Sue went on to work at a world-renowned medical spa as a nutritionist and has run a successful practice in Guildford and London.
Sue trained at the renowned College of Naturopathic Medicine in London in the principles of Functional Medicine, a science-based method that assesses and treats the underlying causes of symptoms. She is registered and regulated by the Association of Naturopathic Practitioners and the General Naturopathic Council. She strongly believes in evidence based nutrition and is committed to continually furthering her knowledge. As part of her Continuing Professional Development, Sue regularly attends conferences and seminars to gain further insight into specialised health topics and to keep thoroughly up-to-date.
What is a Registered Nutritionist?
When you choose a nutritionist, check their qualifications first.
Who regulates nutritionists
The Association for Nutrition (AfN) is the independent regulator for Registered Nutritionists. Registered Nutritionists are listed on the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN). To join the register, a nutritionist has to meet strict standards of competence and professionalism. The UKVRN is the only register of qualified nutritionists recognised by the NHS.
Nutritionists' training
There are two main routes to becoming a nutritionist:
- Registered Nutritionists (rNutr) usually train through AfN-accredited science degrees and register with the AfN.
- Nutritional therapists train through colleges such as the Institute of Optimum Nutrition (ION) and the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM), and register with BANT or CNHC. Their training covers nutritional science, functional and lifestyle medicine, vitamins and supplements. It includes 2,000–3,500 hours of study over 2–4 years, plus 200–400 hours of clinical practice.
By comparison, a GP gets fewer than 2 hours of nutrition training on average across all of their medical training (Source: Time for nutrition in medical education, BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, 2020). That means a nutritional therapist trained through these colleges has about 200–350 times more nutrition than a GP.
There are about 5,000 - 7,000 qualified, practising nutritionists in the UK.
Registrations and titles to look for
- AfN / rNutr: Association for Nutrition / Registered Nutritionist
- mBANT: British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine
- CNHC: Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council
- RNTP: Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
Book a free 15-minute consultation with one of our qualified nutritionists: Book Consultation