6th edition – Friday, June 6, 2014

Web Version

Forward

TABLE OF CONTENTS

•

Call for diabetes screening in care homes on the back of audit

•

New diabetes recipe book published

•

Diabetes app challenge launched

DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL?

Get in touch

Email your diabetes stories to editor Oliver Jelley.

Join the expanding diabetes community on Twitter and follow us for the latest diabetes story updates at @DiabetesTimes.

Diabetes UK respond to England-wide Care Home Diabetes Audit

Diabetes UK has called the current lack of regulation concerning diabetes in care homes “completely unacceptable” and called for improvements.

Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, made the comment following the publication today of the first-ever, England-wide Care Home Diabetes Audit by the Institute of Diabetes for Older People.

She said: “The findings of this first England-wide audit of care homes are deeply worrying. They show that far too many older and vulnerable people are being denied basic standards of diabetes care and this is something that needs to be addressed urgently.

“With the number of people with diabetes projected to rise over the next few years, even more people with the condition will be entering our care home system or develop diabetes during their time in it and, if nothing changes, their health will continue to suffer..."

For the full story, click here.

Pioneer – Dr Partha Kar’s latest blog post

It depends on how you want to use the word I suppose. If as a noun, it means "a person who is among the first to explore or settle in a new country or area". If as a verb, it means "develop or be the first to use or apply (a new method, area of knowledge, or activity)".

I was sitting in the hotel lobby when the news came up on my twitter feed...the news that HSJ and Nursing Times had published their first list of social media pioneers. Clicked on the link and let me not pretend to have false modesty – and say it frankly – was very pleasantly surprised to see my name here. When you look at the other names in the 12 named, there's Kate Granger,Teresa Chinn, Sepsis UK, Anne Cooper, James Titcombe, Julie Bailey to mention a few- and the first reaction I had was "Wow".

Exalted company indeed given the work the individuals have done- and compared to their efforts, pretty much a fledgling effort – but then again, after the initial euphoria, maybe the word pioneer has been relevant as a verb in this context – and indeed, as a consultant in diabetes, my 'mission' – so to speak has been to showcase and highlight the good and not so good bits about diabetes care in the UK.

To read more, click here.

Call for diabetes screening in care homes on the back of audit

Every care home in England should screen for diabetes to help detect the “masses” of undiagnosed residents with the condition, according to a set of wide-sweeping recommendations.

The call comes on the back of the full publication today of the first-ever, England-wide Care Home Diabetes Audit, with social care managers and NHS professionals also urged to improve lines of communication.

The recommendations are a follow up to the initial results of the study, led by the Institute of Diabetes for Older People (IDOP) and the ABCD (Association of British Clinical Diabetologists), which were published last autumn.

Professor Alan Sinclair, audit lead and Director of IDOP, which is based at the University of Bedfordshire, said: “We know there are masses of people with diabetes in care homes who are undiagnosed. The longer it takes them to become diagnosed, the more their health will suffer, leading to the potential of the development of unseen complications. Screening for diabetes should be a fundamental policy for every care home.”

For the full story, click here.

New diabetes recipe book published

A diabetes recipe book “with a difference” has been published by the InDependent Diabetes Trust.

As well as recipes, Diabetes – Food, Meds and More has an emphasis on lifestyle, a focus on real life, day-to-day situations and dietary information.

The book came as a response to listening to people with diabetes and their families who contacted the international charity based in Northampton.

IDDT acting chief executive Martin Hirst, who wrote the book along with experienced dietitian and nutritionist Dr Mabel Blades, said: “People with diabetes or pre-diabetes are often told they need to eat healthily and while this is not bad advice, it can leave people feeling confused and without the information they need, at what can be a stressful time.

“Our experience is that healthy eating means different things to different people and despite views that people should not feel restricted by having diabetes, many people prefer to be given more direction about their diet, especially at the time of diagnosis, for special occasions or if they are unwell."

For the full story, click here.

Diabetes app challenge launched

A new competition has been launched which is urging people with diabetes to review apps or suggest an idea to develop one.

Funded by the Intellectual Property Office and run by Plymouth University in collaboration with Diabetes UK, the Health App Challenge is seeking to help improve technology’s ability to enhance healthcare outcomes.

Firstly, people are being asked to review an app or website to help with diabetes or weight loss surgery management on a soon-to-be-launched review website before September 2014 for the chance to win £200.

Additionally, people with innovative ideas for an app or website to help with diabetes or weight loss surgery management can register now for the opportunity to see how to bring their concept to life at a workshop in September.

Emily Ashurst, E-Health Research Assistant at the Plymouth University, said: “Once developed, the new Health App Challenge user-developed apps will be available for review on our website between November 2014 and February 2015. Review one of these apps and we’ll enter you into our second prize draw to win £200."

To read more, click here.

DIABETES DIGEST

DKA audit launched in bid to improve care

The largest audit assessing how diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is managed in the UK has been launched.

Diabetes hospital teams are being invited to take part in the National Audit of DKA Management to gain an insight into care of the life-threatening condition.

The survey is being organised and led by Dr Ketan Dhatariya, a consultant in diabetes, endocrinology and general medicine at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and is being officially supported by The Diabetes Times.

For the full story, click here.

Cyclists urged to sign up to ‘Tour de Type 1’ this summer for JDRF

Type 1 charity JDRF is calling on cyclists to take part in the 'Tour de Type 1' this summer to raise cash for diabetes research.

The ride will take place from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 July and will help support vital research into finding the cure for Type 1 diabetes. Participants can choose to replicate the entire 131 mile first stage of the race from Leeds Town Hall, or a choice of three reduced versions. The reduced versions start from Harewood House (118 miles), Kettlewell (85 miles) and Aysgarth (69 miles).

For the full story, click here.

Somerset man with Type 1 diabetes gears up for 100th marathon

A 55-year-old with Type 1 diabetes is preparing for his 100th marathon.

Martin Draper, from Bridgwater, who was diagnosed in 2003, has recently completed his 99th race and is preparing to join the 100 Marathon Club. He will reportedly be the first person with Type 1 diabetes to join this exclusive club and will be running his 100th marathon on 28 June at Giants Head in Cerne Abbas, Dorset.

Martin will be raising cash for Type 1 diabetes charity, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

Talking of his diagnosis, Martin said: “I had the classic symptoms of losing weight, drinking lots and feeling dreadful. It hasn’t been easy but what I’ve realised is that with careful management, type 1 diabetes doesn’t control you, you control it.”

For the full story, click here.

Our editor in charity run for diabetes

The editor of The Diabetes Times will be running 14 miles tomorrow to raise funds for the InDependent Diabetes Trust (IDDT).

Oliver Jelley, who launched The Diabetes Times in March, is taking on the challenge on Saturday, June 7. He will be running with his brother Ben Jelley, who is on the left in the picture.

For the full story, click here.