STATE-registered di- etician Tessa Aston has joined a palliative care team set up to help people who are terminally ill.

Tessa's new post at the Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust has been funded by Macmillan Cancer Relief for three years.

She has become one of only a handful of Macmillan dieticians in England working in palliative care.

Tessa will be seeing not only people with cancer but other people who are terminally ill.

She will give advice and support to patients and their carers to help provide relief from their symptoms.

"My goal is to focus on the quality of life of the patient rather than simply talk about nutrition, per se.

"It is about providing total care for patients from control of pain, other symptoms, psychological, social and spiritual problems," she said.