About Rachael

I'm Rachael Colley, a UK Registered Dietitian with over 25 years' experience across the NHS, independent practice, education and service development.

My career has included specialist work in learning disabilities, weight management, Long Covid and other long-term health conditions.

I believe good dietetic care is about more than giving advice. It's about listening, understanding what matters to someone and helping them develop the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions that work for them.

One of my favourite moments is when someone says, “Oh… I see.”

It's often a small moment, but an important one. Something that once felt confusing begins to make sense, and a way forward becomes clearer.

Because I understand what living with a long-term condition can mean.

I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1995, aged 27. At the time, I had an active lifestyle and plenty of plans for the future.

A significant relapse in 2003 changed things. For years, I tried to return to the life I'd known, pushing through fatigue and other symptoms, determined not to let my condition change who I was.

Eventually, I realised how much energy I was spending trying to reclaim a life that no longer existed.

That realisation wasn't about giving up. It was about discovering what was still possible.

I began learning to work with my body and changing circumstances, rather than constantly fighting against them.  

Living with a long-term condition involves more than managing symptoms. It can mean adapting to uncertainty, recognising limitations, grieving what has changed and finding new ways forward.

These experiences have shaped my work as a Dietitian.  The name The Long Haul Dietitian reflects both my personal journey and my professional experience.

Through my dietetic work, I've found that helping people move forward often begins with understanding and acknowledging their circumstances as they are now, rather than how they wish things could be, and discovering what is still possible.

I've also found that the journey towards better nutrition and health isn't always as straightforward as we might hope. There can be stretches when everything seems to be going well, alongside unexpected obstacles, setbacks and difficult climbs. Sometimes we need to change direction, adjust our expectations or simply take things at a different pace.

Perhaps that's why my strapline, “With you on your journey”, means so much to me.

I aim to be the dietitian who walks alongside you — bringing my knowledge and experience to help navigate difficulties, offering encouragement when things feel challenging, and cheering you on as we recognise progress and celebrate successes along the way.

My Professional Qualifications

• Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics (Distinction) – Glasgow Caledonian University
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Secondary Science) – University of Reading
• BSc (Hons) Human Biological Sciences – Loughborough University

Professional Experience

Alongside my independent practice, my experience includes:

• NHS Long Covid Lead: Led the development and delivery of a remote specialist dietetic service.
• GLP-1 Clinical Research: Provided dietetic support for UK participants in an international Phase 3 clinical trial.
• Complex Clinical Care: Specialist independent practice and commissioned services.
• Weight Management: Developed programmes and resources for adults with learning disabilities.
• Education & Consultancy: Delivered specialist training, professional education and service development.

Professional Leadership & National Contributions

• Co-author, British Dietetic Association (BDA) Guidance on Assessing Mental Capacity for Dietetic Interventions.
• Contributor, Caroline Walker Trust's Eating Well for People with Learning Disabilities (2nd Edition).
• Co-author, Weight Management for People with Learning Disabilities, published in Dietetics Today, and contributor to the associated podcast.
• Education Officer and Committee Member, BDA Learning Disabilities Specialist Sub-Group.
• Co-leader of a national network of Dietitians specialising in inflammatory and energy-limiting conditions.

• HCPC Registered Dietitian: DT 07889
• Full Member: British Dietetic Association (BDA)
• Member of BDA specialist professional Groups (Obesity, Mental Health and Freelance Dietetic Practice) and Sub Groups (Learning Disabilities, Autism, ARFID)