It’s time to celebrate our dietitians

Melissa is a Senior Dietitian at Cootamundra Health Service and Student Educator-Coordinator for MLHD Dietetics. 

Working in a rural mixed practice, Melissa supports both inpatient and outpatient clients across five towns.

“I share this role with my superstar colleague Ellyn Bicknell, and together we manage a diverse caseload—ranging from children to older adults, and from malnutrition to eating disorders to complex care needs. I work with our local team to build strong care pathways for our clients,” Melissa said.

As a Student Educator, Melissa also coordinates placements across MLHD dietetics and support the development of our future dietitians. It’s a role that combines time management, clinical work and mentorship, and she loves the variety it brings.

Melissa has been in her role for the past 16 years after making a daring move from sunny Queensland to Temora in the middle of winter.

“What a move it was, and I have not looked back,” she said.

One of the biggest highlights of Melissa’s career has been working in the student education space—helping build the future workforce from the ground up.

She also values working in rural health, where close-knit teams mean staff can provide truly integrated care.

“I have seen dietetics evolve over the years, particularly in rural practice where specialised skills are a must. In the 1950s. dietitians worked in the kitchen; now you can find us up on the ward, on the screen and generally out and about putting our education skills into practice,” Melissa said.  

“No two days are the same, and that’s something I enjoy. I appreciate the flexibility and the ability to work across such a broad spectrum of care.

“What’s most rewarding is seeing the positive impact nutrition can have on someone’s health and quality of life. Supporting people to understand their bodies and make informed choices is incredibly meaningful work.”

The 2025 Dietitians Week theme is ‘Your health, our mission: Talk to a dietitian’. Melissa believes the initiative represents a great opportunity to raise awareness about the essential role dietitians play in healthcare.

“People often don’t realise how much dietitians do, even the clients,” she said.

“Recently, I saw an elderly lady on the ward and when I introduced myself she said, 'I don't think I need you'. After the consult, almost 45 minutes had passed and she finished by stating how appreciative she was of my time, as she had no idea how much nutrition could impact her hospital journey.

“This initiative encourages people to have those important conversations about nutrition and health, to even think outside the box and consider what role nutrition may be having on their health outcome, and how we can help.

“It may be as simple as oral supplement support, all the way to considering the role of individual micronutrients in wound healing, management of type one diabetes, how to safely feed your child, to making nourishing and inviting meal ideas for the elderly.

“It reminds the health community that we are here, we are approachable, and we are trained to support a wide range of health needs.”

The MLHD dietetics service is free, confidential, and backed by many years of experience.

“No question is too small, and you don’t need to wait until something is wrong to talk to a dietitian. Prevention and support go hand in hand,” Melissa said.