Open Letter to the Minister for Health: GLP-1 Referral Pathways
A clinical nutritionist argues for the inclusion of bachelor qualified clinical nutritionists in GLP-1 referral pathways to improve access to nutrition care, reduce long-term complications, and support better outcomes for Australians.
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Subject: Inclusion of Clinical Nutritionists in GLP-1 Referral Pathways Response to the PBAC Consultation on Equitable Access to Obesity Medicines
Minister for Health and Aged Care
Parliament House
Canberra ACT
CC: The Hon. Assistant Minister for Health; PBAC Secretariat
Dear Minister Butler,
I write as a bachelor qualified clinical nutritionist based in Brisbane, Queensland, to formally respond to the recent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) consultation regarding equitable access to glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medicines through the PBS for the treatment of obesity. I request that bachelor qualified clinical nutritionists be explicitly included in any referral and wrap-around support pathways associated with these therapies.
Dietitians Australia has submitted a response to this consultation calling for mandatory, exclusive referral pathways to Accredited Practising Dietitians (APDs). While I fully support the principle that patients using GLP-1 receptor agonists (such as semaglutide) and dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists (such as tirzepatide) require comprehensive, evidence based nutrition care, limiting these pathways to a single credentialed group creates an unnecessary bottleneck in an already strained healthcare system.
To ensure safe, equitable, and highly accessible patient outcomes, I call on the Government to:
Require referral to an Accredited Practising Dietitian OR a bachelor-qualified Clinical Nutritionist before and on prescription of GLP-1 RA medicines for any therapeutic purpose.
Ensure comprehensive consumer access to both Accredited Practising Dietitians and Clinical Nutritionists before, during, and after using GLP-1 RA medicines.
Bachelor qualified clinical nutritionists are rigorously trained in nutrition assessment, dietary planning, and behaviour change support. Patients using these advanced therapies frequently require targeted management to ensure adequate protein intake, the preservation of lean muscle mass, symptom management, hydration, and the development of sustainable, long-term eating patterns. These are core competencies of qualified clinical nutritionists.
In many cases, clinical nutritionists operate in private practice and community settings, offering agile, accessible, and ongoing support to patients who may otherwise experience extensive wait times in the public system. Restricting federally recognized multidisciplinary care pathways to a single professional body leaves a vast, highly qualified workforce completely untapped.
Australians undertaking these complex pharmaceutical therapies deserve choice and broad access to the absolute best nutrition support available to prevent avoidable long-term complications. Australia is fortunate to have more than one qualified nutrition profession capable of delivering safe, effective medical nutrition care.
I ask that any GLP-1 referral or support framework developed through the PBAC process explicitly recognize bachelor-qualified clinical nutritionists alongside APDs.
Furthermore, I urge the Department to consult directly with clinical nutrition professional bodies to ensure future rollout strategies reflect the full range of qualified practitioners available to support the health of all Australians.
With Gratitude and Kind Regards,
Natasha Victoria
Bachelor of Health Science (Clinical Nutrition)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Specwell Nutrition
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