The New Year started off with some positive news when NHS England announced it will provide continuous glucose monitors to all women with type 1 diabetes during pregnancy by 2021.
Novo Nordisk's Ozempic® (semaglutide), a new once-weekly GLP-1 analogue injection for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, was made available in the UK.
Ascensia Diabetes Care announced a global alliance with a developer and manufacturer of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems.
Later that month a set of recommendations to improve the transition from paediatric to adult services and to reduce variation in care were published. This was in response to the National Diabetes Transition Audit (NDTA), which was issued by NHS Digital.
Novo Nordisk hit the headlines too after Ozempic® (semaglutide), its once-weekly, GLP-1 analogue injection for the treatment of type 2 diabetes was made available in the UK.
The new GP contract was praised by Professor Partha Kar in February because he was "delighted" that frailty and individualised diabetes care had been factored in. The QOF adjustments, which saw the removal of ‘unnecessary indicators’, was another change which was largely celebrated.
Another major talking point in February was the updated DVLA regulations which, for the first time, saw the driving agency allow flash and continuous glucose monitoring devices to be used for glucose readings by insulin-dependent drivers.
TREND-UK published a document featuring key messages specifically developed to help achieve the best outcomes for people who take injectable medication for their diabetes.
That same month Diabetes Digital Month and Novo Nordisk launched a free digital Hypo Program and mobile app, providing a structured suite of personalised educational resources to increase awareness and management of hypoglycaemia.
March saw the introduction of NHS England's national minimum criteria for flash glucose monitoring devices as part of its commitment to eliminating the FreeStyle Libre postcode lottery.
Also that month the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) revealed the results to its FreeStyle Libre audit which revealed the device improved diabetes control in people with type 1 diabetes during the first six months of usage.
The diabetes world also got the opportunity to hear the second round of results from the hugely anticipated Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) which were presented at the Diabetes UK Professional Conference.
The needs of midwives in the UK were addressed in April when the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) commissioned a survey to find out how care for pregnant women with diabetes can be improved.
Public Health England (PHE) updated its Diabetes Foot Care Activity Profiles to include data from 2015/16 to 2017/18.
Also that month Dr Kath Higgins, Consultant in Diabetes Care and Clinical Lead for Inpatient Diabetes Care at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust scooped the Rowan Hillson Insulin Safety Award.
Consultation got underway on updating NICE guidelines covering type 1, type 2, diabetes in children and management of feet in diabetes.
An updated version of NICE’s Safer insulin prescribing was published. The document summarises the evidence base on safer insulin prescribing and was first published in January 2017. It is not formal NICE guidance, but has been made available to support medicines optimisation.
And Diabetes Digital Media celebrated its Diabetes.co.uk Support Forum reaching its 300,000-member milestone.
Diabetes UK and Kent and Medway STP launched a new tool designed to help healthcare professionals boost referrals to structured education courses for people with diabetes.
Dr David Unwin, also known as the Low-Carb GP, made the final of the NICE Shared Learning Award for his work that involved displaying the sugar content in popular food groups.
Dr Partha Kar announced there would be a trial of digital insulin passports across the Wessex region, in a bid to enhance hospital safety during Insulin Safety Week.
The NHS Barking and Dagenham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) was named the winner of the Diabetes Initiative of the Year trophy at the annual HSJ Value Awards.
A map documenting where the FreeStyle Libre had been made available to people with type 1 diabetes was created.
Also that month, a nationwide audit showing how the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system improves control in people with type 1 diabetes during the first six months of use was also released.
NHS staff and diabetes charity workers from across the UK attended a Downing Street reception hosted by Theresa May to celebrate their work within diabetes community.
An international panel of diabetes experts unveiled evidence-based guidelines for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) at the American Diabetes Association’s 79th Scientific Sessions in San Francisco.
In July we put out a type 2 diabetes remission special newsletter with the main story being all about the British Journal of General Practice publishing a paper providing guidance for de-prescribing type 2 diabetes drugs was published.
The British Dietetic Association came out in support of the NHS-approved Low Carb Program App by releasing a positive review of the platform.
Production of the FreeStyle Libre was stepped up as part of a drive to make it more accessible for people in the UK and around the world.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) called for pharmacists to be fully integrated into type 2 diabetes services to increase prevention and detection of the condition.
NICE started its search for healthcare professionals to support the process of updating a series of diabetes guidelines.
Leading consultant Ketan Dhatariya who is based at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital was named one of the world’s leading experts for his work as a specialist in Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
The blueprint for a high-quality diabetes inpatient service was mapped out in a new Joint British Diabetes Societies (JBDS) document.
The Handbook for Adult Inpatient Diabetes Care was launched online to help junior doctors safely look after adult inpatients with diabetes.
The European Society of Cardiology worked in collaboration with the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and published new guidelines covering diabetes, people at high risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
An interactive flowchart covering the identification and treatment of primary hypertension in people with type 2 diabetes was published by NICE.
Abbott and Sanofi announced a major partnership where they would integrate glucose sensing and insulin delivery technologies designed to help further simplify how people with diabetes manage their condition.
NHS chief Simon Stevens announced high dose statins could be made available directly from high street pharmacies as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.
A record-breaking crowd of more than 5,300 attended the UK’s largest diabetes conference Diabetes Professional Care (DPC2019), which some claimed was “the best one yet”.
The free-to-attend, CPD-accredited education event took place on Tuesday, October 29, and Wednesday, October 30. This year it took place in Olympia London’s National Hall to cater for growing demand.
DPC2019 also saw the winners of the second DPC Industry Awards, in association with the Diabetes Times, announced, which again celebrated excellence among companies and organisations within diabetes.
In other news, NHS England announced that almost 30,000 people across the country with type 1 diabetes received the life-changing FreeStyle Libre through the NHS Long Term Plan.
Meanwhile, TREND-UK unveiled its results from the first-ever England-wide Diabetes Specialist Nurse (DSN) Audit which revealed there were 117 different job titles.
Once again heroes from the diabetes community were rewarded at the ninth annual Quality in Care (QiC) Diabetes Awards.
NHS England reappointed Professor Jonathan Valabhji OBE and Professor Partha Kar, although Partha was given a new job title.
Michael Goetzl, the Managing Director for the UK and Ireland for Roche Diabetes Care, came out and reaffirmed the company's commitment to diabetes care in a DT Big Interview to mark World Diabetes Day.
Meanwhile, Ascensia Diabetes Care launched its campaign for World Diabetes Day in celebration of the crucial support that families provide to people with diabetes.
NHS Digital released new figures which showed diabetes prescriptions made up 12.5% of the total cost of prescribing in England during 2018/19.
It was a busy month for TREND-UK which also published guidelines to help address frequently asked questions on insulin initiation and titration among adults with type 2 diabetes.
Leading professors Professor Kamlesh Khunti and Professor Wasim Hanif were both presented with the South Asian Health Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award on the final day of the organisation’s two-day Annual Conference.
Roche Diabetes Care obtained a CE mark for its Accu-Chek SugarView app which paves the way for the launch of the innovative diabetes management solution in Europe and further countries around the world.
Also, it was announced that diabetes inpatient audit pioneer Professor Gerry Rayman was in-line for an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List.
So we are here, yet another general elections, and yet another result. Depending on your view of life, what beliefs you have, who you support, reactions have ranged from delight to despair, unbridled joy to unfettered sorrow. Emotions are high.
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