Fast Expert Advice on Nutrition
Helping children UK wide (video appointments available)
Due to our current NHS commitments, we are unable to accept patients registered to a Medway or Swale GP practice.
About Us
Ileana Fernandes
I first began studying in Wales and completed a BSc Hons Medical Sciences and Humanities degree in 2012. Initially, I had wanted to progress on to a medical degree. However, when looking for postgraduate courses, I became interested in nutrition and dietetics. It has always been a passion of mine from a very young age and I've always had an interest in food.
I qualified in 2015 from the University of Hertfordshire with a BSc Hons Dietetics degree.
From here, I went straight into my first job in adult community dietetics at Kent Community Health.
After 2 years, I was offered an amazing opportunity in Lewisham and Greenwich NHS trust to upskill as a Paediatric Dietitian. During my time there, I learnt a lot about allergies and having struggled with my own food allergies, I was very passionate about helping others in a similar position to me. I went on to secure a job in the leading paediatric allergy centre in the Evelina Children's Hospital at Guys & St Thomas' NHS Trust. This was a life changing work placement for me and secured my passion for wanting to work in paediatrics and even more specifically, paediatric allergy.
Having gone on to have two beautiful children of my own, I decided I needed to move my workplace a little closer to my home in Dover and I am now currently working as a Specialist Paediatric Dietitian within Medway Community Healthcare. Here, I assess children with a variety of nutrition and dietetic concerns for example faltering growth, allergy, restricted or limited diets and home enteral feeding, to name a few.
It has always been a dream to branch out and provide high quality, fast and accessible paediatric dietetic care to my local community. Now, with the help of my very good friend and dietetic colleague Hayley, Kent Kids Dietitian has become a reality!
Hayley Bures
Hi, my name is Hayley. I qualified as a dietitian in 2014 from Cardiff Metropolitan University. It had been a passion of mine to become a dietitian since working as a dietetic assistant at the local hospital in Kent.
When I first graduated I worked in mental health dietetics away from home in Liverpool. This gave me some great experience of community dietetics. After a year or so I soon moved back home to be near friends and family in Kent.
After having my first child I got a job working in the community dietitians team within Kent. I stayed in this job for some time before moving to where I currently work in the paediatric team for Medway.
I love being a dietitian and particular enjoy working as a children’s dietitian. I hope to use all the skills I have learnt and experiences so far to bring some expert advice to local parents requiring support with their child’s nutritional needs.
What We Do
Allergies and Reintroductions
It can be a worrying experience finding out your child has been diagnosed or is suspected of having an allergy. We aim to educate and empower families to provide a healthy balanced diet whilst successfully navigating the world of allergies.
Restricted Diet / Fussy Eating
Whether your child is 1 or 17, we will always aim to assess their diet fully and provide individual care plans to encourage as healthy a diet they can manage within their remits.
Weight Management and Healthy Eating
We offer a gentle holistic approach to encourage slower weight gain or weight loss if indicated, whilst encouraging healthy practices like cooking, exercise and so on.