Author: Network Editor

The Eden team based at the Leicester Diabetes Centre released a social media video to shine a light on the emotional toll of living with diabetes. As part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, Eden created a video that follows a young man called Ben with type 1 diabetes who is experiencing poor mental health due to the continuous burden of living with the condition. James Ridgeway, Diabetes Educator for Eden, said: “We are proud to support Mental Health Awareness Week and to highlight the challenges faced by those living with diabetes and mental health conditions.” Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual campaign that is dedicated to raising important topics, tackling stigma and exploring different ways we can protect our mental wellbeing. It took place from Monday, May 15, to Sunday, May 21, and the theme this year was ‘Anxiety’. Eden is a multi-award-winning team that delivers education programmes, developed by the NHS for healthcare professionals. With a sustained and successful track record in Leicester, Eden provides organisations with the opportunity to transform the diabetes care it offers by enhancing the skill levels of staff involved in diabetes treatment. To access the Eden video, click here. For more information about Eden, visit https://www.edendiabetes.com.

Innovative ways to promote insulin safety across University Hospital Southampton were showcased during a special visit to mark a national diabetes campaign. Jessamy Baird, Country Lead and Head of General Medicines for Sanofi in the UK and Ireland, met with both the Trust’s CEO David French and Lead Inpatient Diabetes Specialist Nurse Paula Johnston on Friday, May 19, to mark Insulin Safety Week (ISW) 2023. She met with the staff to discuss what activities were taking place at the hospital during ISW – a national campaign that raises awareness of insulin safety across care settings in the UK and Ireland. On the visit, Jessamy watched the diabetes team at University Hospital Southampton spread the crucial insulin safety message in an engaging way with particular focus on the timings and types of insulin available. Jessamy said: “I was delighted to meet the team at Southampton General Hospital today and witness the excellent activities they are carrying out to further awareness about insulin safety. “Their dedication to their patients is really inspiring to see. At Sanofi, we’re proud to be a partner of this important initiative which helps to educate healthcare professionals to continue to improve care for people with diabetes.” This year, ISW took place from Monday, May 15, to Sunday, May 21. The annual week-long campaign is designed to educate nurses, doctors and other healthcare staff about insulin and the need to understand the drug and use it safely. Paula Johnston said: “Insulin Safety Week is a great initiative to remind clinical staff of their responsibilities around insulin prescribing and a great opportunity to highlight the support and training on offer to ensure clinicians can feel more confident in insulin administration. “Here at University Hospital Southampton, we always like to support the Insulin Safety Week campaign as it gives us, as the inpatient diabetes team, the opportunity to go onto the wards to provide staff with information about insulin safety.” ISW 2023 is organised by Orange Juice Communications, and Sanofi is the platinum programme partner. Sanofi have had no input into any arrangements or content. For more information about ISW, visit www.insulinsafetyweek.com.

A Facebook Live video session taking place today will look at the positive health impact of reducing and regularly breaking up prolonged sitting in people with type 2 diabetes.  Dr Charlotte Edwardson, an Associate Professor at the University of Leicester, who has an interest in physical activity and sedentary behaviour, will lead Leicester Diabetes Centre’s (LDC) latest online session today at 4pm alongside Doctor Johnathan Goldney, NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Diabetes and Endocrinology. During the Facebook Live event, Dr Edwardson will present research that reveals how people living with type 2 diabetes can improve their glucose metabolism by regularly breaking up prolonged sitting throughout the day. Doctor Goldney will present an example of how to apply this research in clinical practice. This finding is part of the LDC’s five S’s concept, which was developed as a key part of the 2022 consensus report from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA). In an educational infographic, the LDC team has highlighted five important health behaviours – sitting, stepping, sweating, strengthening and sleep – that people living with diabetes should be aware of to help them better manage their condition. Dr Edwardson said: “Breaking up prolonged sitting is really important for people living with type 2 diabetes. We know that when people sit for long periods of time, their blood sugar levels can increase, and this can have negative effects on their health. That’s why we recommend following the five S’s.” She added: “By incorporating these behaviours into their daily lives, people with diabetes can improve their health and better manage their condition.” This free-to-attend Facebook event is the second session in a series of live videos looking at the five S’s. Professor Melanie Davies CBE, Co-Director of the Leicester Diabetes Centre (LDC), kickstarted the five S’s Facebook live series in February with a general overlook on the impact of physical behaviours on the health of people living with type 2 diabetes. “We know that regular exercise is very important for people living with type 2 diabetes,” said Professor Davies CBE. She added: “However, other behaviours that over the course a day are vital too. Over 24 hours, we spend time sitting, sleeping, walking and exercising. All of these activities affect our health. We should all be aware of how important the whole day is when talking about our activity levels and our health.” LDC is led by Co-Directors Professor Davies CBE and Professor Kamlesh Khunti CBE. Hosted at Leicester General Hospital, the Centre is a partnership between the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and the University of Leicester. The Centre has a national and international reputation for clinical care that is underpinned by innovative and world-leading clinical research. A wide range of research studies have been implemented by the LDC, focusing on the areas of early detection, prevention, structured education, and new therapies, along with teaching and training for both patients and healthcare professionals. The results of these studies have had an impact on local NHS policies, Department of Health programmes and NICE guidance. The world-renowned, multi-disciplinary research team based at the LDC is also leading the way by providing the evidence behind their education programmes and widening the knowledge base for health and disease management. This includes creating education programmes for people with diabetes and healthcare professionals in the prevention and management of diabetes, as well as a suite of programmes supporting other long-term, related conditions. For more information, click here.

More than 500 diabetes teams from across the UK and Ireland are currently taking part in Insulin Safety Week (ISW) 2023.  Taking place from Monday, May 15, and Sunday, May 21, they are promoting the message of insulin safety as part of the annual awareness week. A total of 523 sites, mainly hospitals, are participating in the seven-day safety campaign in an attempt to reduce incidents of insulin errors. This year, teams are staging training events to raise awareness of the condition. Educational resources are also being using to help spread the message. ISW is organised by Orange Juice Communications and has been funded by Sanofi who have had no input into any arrangements or content. This project has also been funded by GlucoRx and embecta who have had no input into any arrangements or content.

The exceptional work carried out by the diabetes community will be reflected and celebrated at the forthcoming Quality in Care (QiC) Awards. People working in the field of diabetes throughout the UK and Ireland are invited to submit an application ahead of the deadline on Friday, July 7. Debbie Woods, Head of Medical, General Medicines UK and Ireland, Sanofi, said: “Sanofi is delighted to support the QiC Programme in 2023 and to recognise and reward the innovations that will benefit people living with diabetes. “The QiC programme is at the forefront of sharing best practice to improve the quality of care, through demonstrating novel solutions to problems encountered by health care professionals and those impacted by diabetes on a daily basis.” She added: “The commitment to quality of care is a core value of the NHS and the QIC programme is a shining example of that value in practice.” The awards have been recognising, rewarding and sharing initiatives that improve the quality of life for people living with diabetes since 2011. Judging will take place on Friday, September 8, and the QiC Diabetes 2023 Awards presentation will again take place at Sanofi’s UK headquarters in Reading on Thursday, October 12. To enter, visit https://qicdiabetes.awardsplatform.com.

A renowned international diabetes centre believes that “education is a key weapon” in the battle against diabetes after a new report has revealed thousands of excess deaths in people living with the condition. Leicester Diabetes Centre (LDC) is now urging individuals living with the condition to become more aware of diabetes and how to reduce their risk of complications. National programmes such as the Desmond programme can offer a wealth of knowledge to people living with the condition enabling them to feel more confident in their approach to their health, after a report published by Diabetes UK has identified a significant increase in diabetes deaths and a deeply alarming number of missed checks. Education for healthcare professional is also critical as the report shows there were more than 7,000 excess deaths involving people with diabetes in 2022, a rise of 13 per cent from pre-pandemic levels – with data suggesting the majority of these were not attributable directly to COVID-19. Worryingly, the situation has only worsened in the first part of 2023, with 1,461 excess deaths between January and March, three times as high as the same period in 2022. Laura Willcocks, at LDC, said: “This report highlights the urgent need for educating people with diabetes and healthcare professional alike, as it is a key weapon in the fight against diabetes. “The findings underscore the critical role that education can play in helping individuals manage their condition effectively.” She added: “By providing people living with diabetes access to education programmes, they can learn how to make informed decisions about their health, improve their self-management skills, and reduce the risk of complications.” Leicester Diabetes Centre is answering the global challenge of type 2 diabetes and long-term conditions through world-leading research, education and innovation. Based at Leicester General Hospital, the 3,000m2 centre is a unique collaboration between the University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust Founded in 2012, the centre is home to the award-winning DESMOND and EDEN programmes; that ensure the findings of LDCs innovative research continues to achieve impact beyond the research setting.

A national campaign aiming to reduce insulin errors in hospitals and other care settings in the UK and Ireland will return later this month. Hospitals and GP surgeries are being encouraged to take part in this year’s Insulin Safety Week, which is taking place from Monday, May 15, to Sunday, May 21. The week-long campaign is designed to educate nurses, doctors and other healthcare staff about insulin and the need to understand the drug and use it safely. Participating sites will stage training events to raise awareness of the condition. Resources, including leaflets, guidelines and educational slides, will be used to help spread the word. Last year, a total of 425 sites took part in the national insulin safety campaign, organisers have announced. Event manager Emily Mayhew said: “Insulin Safety Week is an important opportunity for nurses, doctors, and other healthcare staff to come together and strengthen their knowledge and understanding of insulin therapy. “By educating healthcare professionals about best practices in insulin safety, we can improve patient outcomes and reduce the risk of adverse events.” She added: “We are urging healthcare professionals to join together and use Insulin Safety Week to improve diabetes care.” This programme is organised by Orange Juice Communications and has been funded by Sanofi who have had no input into any arrangements or content. This project has also been funded by GlucoRx and embecta who have had no input into any arrangements or content. Orange Juice Communications also organises Hypo Awareness Week, which has been taking place annually since 2012. To register and for more information, visit www.insulinsafetyweek.com.

Chris Askew OBE is leaving his role as the Chief Executive of Diabetes UK after eight years in the job.  Mr Askew is stepping away from the diabetes charity to join the Royal College of General Practitioners, where he will become the organisation’s new Chief Executive. Dr. Carol Homden CBE, Chair of Trustees for Diabetes UK, said: “On behalf of the Diabetes UK Board of Trustees, I would like to offer my sincerest and heartfelt thanks to Chris for the integrity, dedication and passion with which he’s led this organisation for the last eight years. “Recent years have demanded much of Diabetes UK and its team, presenting challenges for the communities we serve that Chris has led his excellent, hard-working team to meet head on. She added: “I know from experience the esteem and admiration in which Chris is held by his colleagues here, who will miss him even as they wish him well.” “I know the Trustees and all here at Diabetes UK will join me in congratulating Chris, and wishing him the very best in his new, much deserved position as Chief Executive of the Royal College of General Practitioners. She concluded: “With more than 5m people in the UK now living with diabetes, Chris’s departure presents an opportunity for the next dynamic leader of our charity to meet the growing challenge of the diabetes crisis, and steer us ever closer to our vision of a world where diabetes can do no harm.” Chris Askew OBE, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, noted: “It has been an honour and a privilege to lead Diabetes UK for the past eight years, during which time people with and affected by diabetes have needed a voice and positive change more than ever before, and the charity has sought to highlight the seriousness of diabetes as a condition affecting over five million people in the UK. I hope in my time here we have risen to those twin challenges. “In truth, none of what we have achieved as a charity during my tenure would have been possible without the dedication of all my colleagues working hard across the UK, without the support of our Trustees, and – most importantly of all – the passion and involvement of our community of volunteers, supporters and partners who, together, are our greatest strength. “I am looking forward enormously to leading and working alongside the brilliant team at RCGP to deliver excellence in General Practice, advocate for patients, and give voice to the expert clinicians at the heart of our health service.” Professor Mike Holmes is Chair of Trustees at the Royal College of GPs. He said: “Chris is an outstanding charity leader with an impressive track record in transforming strategy development into tangible improvements, always keeping his focus on the members and staff at the heart of the organisation. “He has already impressed us with his grasp of the many challenges facing the College and general practice – along with the solutions he is proposing – and we very much look forward to working with him, learning from him, and benefiting from his vast experience and expertise.” Mr Askew will begin his new role in October 2023. Work is underway to appoint his successor.