Tahira Bashir
Tahira qualified with a BSc (Honours) in Applied Human Nutrition, Dietetics, Registered Dietitian (RD). She has been working within the speciality of diabetes, weight management, BAME Health and education for over 25 years.
Tahira's experience includes working in various healthcare settings such as clinical hospital practice and primary care, as well as providing education and training in private practice. She has worked in both the capital city of London, seeing clients from all walks of life in the heart of the city, including Harley Street, Edgware Road, and Bayswater, and across the Midlands, gaining a wide range of nutrition and dietetic experience.
Tahira has extensive clinical knowledge and experience, particularly in all aspects of diabetes, with an advanced role as part of a multidisciplinary team. Aswell as dietary and lifestyle advice, she advises on appropriate medication management, blood glucose monitoring and management for type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes, as well as developing and delivering structured education programmes.
Tahira was one of the first health professionals in the UK to train as an Educator for the accredited DAFNE Structured Education Programme for Type 1 Diabetes when it was first rolled out in 2002 and was a member of the DAFNE Executive committee for a number of years.
In addition to her expertise in diabetes, Tahira has experience in other specialist areas, including cardiovascular disease, weight management, obesity and endobarrier/bariatric therapy, women's health, antenatal care, children's health, social healthcare, and public health. She is a member of the South Asian Health Federation (SAHF) and has extensive knowledge and experience in the area of Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups. Tahira is able to provide a bilingual service to the South Asian community.
Tahira has contributed to various publications of books and articles and has provided education and training to clients, health professionals, medical students, and dietetic students, as well as people in various organizations. She has worked freelance with organizations such as the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK, being involved with research in order to support national scientific evidence-based advice, as well as working both in NHS and private practice.
Tahira's focus is not only on providing a clinical service but also on holistic health and wellbeing. She has experience in writing educational modules on topics including diabetes management and delivering courses and training for health professionals and students.
She has worked with schools, public health, and health promotion, including working with the British Dietetic Association (BDA) at the BBC Good Food Show.
Tahira has also been involved in publishing and has written various articles for magazines and contributed as an author towards chapters in educational nutrition and dietetic books, including The Manual of Dietetic Practice. She has been involved in the Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Kids framework, which was used as the foundation from which the Being Healthy book in the Aku and Kamu children's series was developed. Tahira presented this at the British Education Suppliers Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2010.