About Bright Appetites
Current Availability
Hello! I’m currently on maternity leave and no longer taking bookings for the remainder of 2023.
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Alex Bartrop
I’m Alex, a paediatric specialist dietitian providing dietetic services for children in the Hunter.
They say if you love what you do then you’ll never work a day in your life, and that’s exactly how I have felt the day I started working as a dietitian.
I completed my degree in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Newcastle in 2013. After graduating, I was lucky enough to score my dream job as a dietitian at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
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Children’s Hospital at Westmead
Children’s Hospital at Westmead
As a new graduate, I worked on many different inpatient wards and outpatient clinics, rotating every 6-12 months. Working in different areas of the hospital allowed me to develop skills in caring for children with many different nutrition needs, including babies and children with growth challenges, cystic fibrosis, congenital heart disease, coeliac disease, complex disabilities, iron deficiency, prematurity and fussy eating.
I also worked in gastroenterology for several years and thoroughly enjoyed learning about the nutritional management and dietary needs of children living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, liver diseases, and other conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract.
Tube Weaning Clinic
After a few years of experience on the wards, I then worked with children who have feeding difficulties and/or use a feeding tube. I worked in the multidisciplinary Feeding Clinic with a speech pathologist and paediatrician, and then went on to establish a “tube weaning” clinic at the hospital. In these clinics, we supported parents with strategies to increase their child’s oral (food) intake in order to reduce their reliance on their feeding tube.
Senior Dietitian at Westmead
I then had the opportunity to move into a senior dietitian role in food allergy. It was here I developed a real passion for helping children living with food allergies, intolerances, FPIES, and Eosinophilic Oesophagitis.
I’ve always loved food and cooking, and I’ve been so happy to have the opportunity to use this knowledge to help families navigating this whole world of label reading, food substitutions and experimental cooking!
Hospital Kitchen Committee & Lecturing
I'm also really passionate about expanding children’s meal choices and reducing the risk of cross contamination in hospital kitchens. I've established a committee that developed policies and procedures for this and I’ve presented my work at food allergy conferences.
I also really enjoy teaching and education, and regularly present lectures and educational workshops about nutrition and food allergy to university students, GPs, and nurses all over NSW.
Opening our Newcastle Clinic
I moved back to Newcastle with my partner and our one-year-old in 2021. After a long stint in Sydney I’m so happy to be back enjoying the slower paced lifestyle of this great city.
I still work at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead part time (it’s a long commute, but it’s too good to give up!) and I’m so excited to be starting up my own private practice with the skills I’ve learnt over the past 8 years.
How do our fees work?
Standard Fees:
Initial appointment (60 minute consult): $190
Review appointment (30-40 minute consult): $120
You may be able to obtain a Chronic Disease Management Plan (also known as a GP management plan) from your child’s GP which allows you to claim a rebate for seeing a dietitian. The current rebate is $55.10.
You may also be able to claim a rebate through your private health insurer. Please check if your policy covers dietetic services.
NDIS Participants
We charge the maximum claimable rate outlined in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2022-23 which is $194/hour.
Appointment Information
- Please bring your child’s blue book and their GP management plan (if applicable) to their appointment.
- In most cases, we will weigh your child and measure their height. If it’s OK with you, for babies (usually up to age 2) we will do a bare weight.
An hour appointment is a long time for your little one to stay focused.
Please feel free to bring snacks, their favourite toy, colouring in or a tablet to keep them entertained.
If you prefer to attend the appointment without your child, please let me know and we will discuss how you can have them weighed and measured locally prior to the appointment.
Seeing a dietitian involves establishing a good professional and ongoing relationship. In most cases, it takes 2, 3 or maybe more sessions with a dietitian to see change and accomplish goals.
