Dietitian

Latest update: 2020-04-15 17:21:26

1°. Defining the activity

The dietician is a professional whose mission is to provide nutritional advice to his patients. On medical prescription, it also participates in their education and nutritional rehabilitation as long as they have metabolic or eating disorders. He establishes with them a personalized dietary assessment and an adapted dietary education.

For further information: Article L. 4371-1 of the Public Health Code.

2°. Professional qualifications

a. National requirements

National legislation

The practice of the dietitian profession is reserved for the holder:

• one of the training titles specified below (see below. "Two. a. Training");
• authorisation to exercise the national of a Member State of the European Union (EU) or party to the European Economic Area (EEA) (see below. "Two. c. EU or EEA nationals: for a permanent exercise (Freedom of establishment)).

For further information: Article L. 4371-2 of the Public Health Code.

Training

Access to the registered dietitian profession is open to anyone who has completed the training leading to one of the following degrees:

• Higher Technician (BTS) Certificate of Dietetics;
• University Degree of Technology (DUT) specialty biology, dietary option.

The BTS is a Level III diploma, accessible after a bachelor's degree. It is accessed after a file is sent, followed by an interview and/or tests depending on the institution concerned.

The DUT is a Level III diploma, accessible after a bachelor's degree. The duration of his training is two years after which the candidate will make a final dissertation.

For further information: Article D. 4371-1 of the Public Health Code.

Costs associated with qualification

Training leading to one of these titles is paid for. For more information, it is advisable to check with the dispensing institutions.

b. EU or EEA nationals: for temporary and occasional exercise (Freedom to provide services)

A national of an EU or EEA state, legally practising as a dietician in one of these states, may use his or her professional title in France, either temporarily or occasionally.

He will have to apply, before his first performance, by declaration addressed to the prefect of the region in which he wishes to make the delivery (see infra "5°. a. Make a prior declaration of activity for EU or EEA nationals engaged in temporary and occasional activity (LPS)").

Where neither the activity nor the training leading to this activity is regulated in the State in which it is legally established, the professional will have to justify having carried it out in one or more Member States for at least one year, in the ten years before the performance.

For further information: Article L. 4371-7 of the Public Health Code.

c. EU or EEA nationals: for a permanent exercise (Freedom of establishment)

Any national of an EU or EEA state, who is established and legally practises as a dietician in that state, may carry out the same activity in France on a permanent basis if he:

• holds a training certificate issued by a competent authority in another Member State, which regulates access to or exercise of the profession;
• has worked full-time or part-time for one year in the last ten years in another Member State that does not regulate training or the practice of the profession;
• holds a diploma, title or certificate acquired in a third state but recognised and admitted in equivalence by an EU or EEA state on the additional condition that the person concerned has been a dietician in the State that has admitted equivalence.

Once the national fulfils one of these conditions, he or she will be able to apply for an individual authorisation to practise from the regional prefect in which he wishes to practice his profession (see infra "5o). b. Request an exercise permit for the EU or EEA national for permanent activity (LE) ").

For further information: Article L. 4371-4 of the Public Health Code.

3°. Conditions of honorability, ethical rules, ethics

a. Rules of good practice

Although not codified, rules of good practice are the responsibility of the practising dietician. Among other things, it must:

• Respect the patient's will
• Be loyal and honest
• apply and work closely with the prescribing physician's medical prescriptions;
• Respect professional secrecy
• examine, counsel or treat each patient in the same way, regardless of their origin, manners or family situation.

For more information, it is advisable to refer to the website of the French Association of Nutritionist Dietitians .

b. Criminal sanctions

Illegal practice of the profession and use without the training title are offences punishable by one year's imprisonment and a fine of 15,000 euros.

For further information: Article L. 4372-1 and L. 4372-2 of the Public Health Code.

4°. Insurance

As a health professional, a liberal dietician must take out professional liability insurance.

On the other hand, if he practises as an employee, this insurance is only optional. In this case, it is up to the employer to take out such insurance for its employees for the acts carried out during their professional activity.

5°. Qualification recognition procedures and formalities

a. Make a prior declaration of activity for the EU or EEA national engaged in temporary and occasional activity (LPS)

Competent authority

The regional prefect is responsible for deciding on the request for a prior declaration of activity.

Supporting documents

The application is made by filing a file that includes the following documents:

• A copy of a valid ID
• A copy of the training title allowing the profession to be practised in the state of obtainment;
• a certificate, less than three months old, from the competent authority of the EU State or the EEA, certifying that the person concerned is legally established in that state and that, when the certificate is issued, there is no prohibition, even temporary, Exercise
• any evidence justifying that the national has practised the profession in an EU or EEA state for one year in the last ten years, when that state does not regulate training, access to the requested profession or its exercise;
• where the training certificate has been issued by a third state and recognised in an EU or EEA state other than France:- recognition of the training title established by the state authorities that have recognised this title,
  • any evidence justifying that the national has practiced the profession in that state for three years;
• If so, a copy of the previous statement as well as the first statement made;
• a certificate of professional civil liability.

What to know

If necessary, the pieces must be translated into French by a certified translator.

Time

Upon receipt of the file, the regional prefect will have one month to decide on the application and will inform the national:

• that he can start the performance. Therefore, the prefect will register the applicant in the Adeli directory;
• that he will be subject to a compensation measure if there are substantial differences between the training or professional experience of the national and those required in France;
• he will not be able to start the performance;
• any difficulty that could delay its decision. In the latter case, the prefect will be able to make his decision within two months of the resolution of this difficulty, and no later than three months of notification to the national.

The prefect's silence within these deadlines will be worth accepting the request for declaration.

Please note

The return is renewable every year or at each change in the applicant's situation.

For further information: Article R. 4371-5 of the Public Health Code; December 8, 2017 order on the prior declaration of service provision for genetic counsellors, medical physicists and pharmacy and hospital pharmacy preparers, as well as for occupations in Book III of Part IV of the Public Health Code.

b. Obtain individual authorisation for the EU or EEA national for permanent activity (LE)

Competent authority

The authorisation to exercise is issued by the regional prefect, after advice from the committee of dietitians.

Supporting documents

The application for authorization is made by filing a file containing all of the following documents:

• The application form for authorization to practice  ;
• A copy of a valid ID
• A copy of the training title
• If necessary, a copy of the additional diplomas;
• any evidence justifying ongoing training, experience and skills acquired in the EU or EEA State;
• a statement from the competent authority of the EU State or the EEA justifying the absence of sanctions against the national;
• A copy of the authorities' certificates specifying the level of training, the detail and the hourly volume of the courses followed, as well as the content and duration of the validated internships;
• any document justifying that the national has been a dietician for one year in the last ten years, in an EU or EEA state, where neither access nor exercise is regulated in that state.

What to know

If necessary, the pieces must be translated into French by a certified translator.

Procedure

The prefect acknowledges receipt of the file within one month and will decide after having the opinion of the committee of dieticians. The latter is responsible for examining the knowledge and skills of the national acquired during his training or during his professional experience. It may subject the national to a compensation measure.

The silence kept by the prefect of the region within four months is a decision to reject the application for authorisation.

For further information: Articles R. 4371-2 to R. 4371-4 of the Public Health Code.

Good to know: compensation measures

If the examination of the professional qualifications attested by the training credentials and the work experience shows substantial differences with the qualifications required for access to the profession of dietician and its exercise In France, the person concerned will have to submit to a compensation measure which may be an adjustment course or an aptitude test.

The aptitude test takes the form of a written or oral exam scored out of 20. Its validation is pronounced when the national has obtained an average score of 10 out of 20 or higher, without a score of less than 8 out of 20. If successful in the test, the national will be allowed to use the title of dietician.

The internship is done in a public or private health facility, or at a professional level, and must not last more than three years. It also includes theoretical training that will be validated by the internship manager.

For further information: decree of 20 January 2010 setting out the composition of the file to be provided to the relevant authorisation commissions for the examination of applications submitted for the exercise in France of the professions of genetic counsellor, nurse, masseur-kinesitherapist, pedicure-podologist, occupational therapist, manipulator in medical electroradiology and dietician.

c. Registration with the Adeli directory

A national wishing to practise as a dietician in France is required to register his authorisation to practice on the Adeli directory ("Automation of Lists").

Competent authority

Registration in the Adeli directory is done with the regional health agency (ARS) of the place of practice.

Time

The application for registration is submitted within one month of taking office of the national, regardless of the mode of practice (liberal, salaried, mixed).

Supporting documents

In support of his application for registration, the dietician must provide a file containing:

• the original diploma or title attesting to the training of dietician, issued by the EU State or the EEA (translated into French by a certified translator, if applicable);
• ID
• Deer 10906-06 form completed, dated and signed.

Outcome of the procedure

The national's Adeli number will be directly mentioned on the receipt of the file, issued by the ARS.

Cost

Free.

For further information: Article L. 4371-5 of the Public Health Code.

d. Remedies

French assistance centre

The ENIC-NARIC Centre is the French centre for information on academic and professional recognition of diplomas.

Solvit

SOLVIT is a service provided by the National Administration of each Member State of the European Union or party to the EEA agreement. Its aim is to find a solution to a dispute between an EU national and the administration of another of these states. SOLVIT intervenes in particular in the recognition of professional qualifications.

Conditions

The person concerned can only use SOLVIT if he establishes:

• that the public administration of one EU state has not respected its rights under EU law as a citizen or business of another EU state;
• that it has not already initiated legal action (administrative action is not considered as such).

Procedure

The national must complete a online complaint form .

Once his file has been submitted, SOLVIT contacts him within a week to request, if necessary, additional information and to verify that the problem is within his competence.

Supporting documents

To enter SOLVIT, the national must communicate:

• Full contact details
• Detailed description of his problem
• all the evidence in the file (for example, correspondence and decisions received from the relevant administrative authority).

Timeframe

SOLVIT is committed to finding a solution within ten weeks of the day the case was taken over by the SOLVIT centre in the country in which the problem occurred.

Cost

Free.

Outcome of the procedure

At the end of the 10-week period, SOLVIT presents a solution:

• If this solution resolves the dispute over the application of European law, the solution is accepted and the case is closed;
• if there is no solution, the case is closed as unresolved and referred to the European Commission.

More information

SOLVIT in France: General Secretariat for European Affairs, 68 rue de Bellechasse, 75700, Paris ( official website ).