A new online learning programme has been launched by Diabetes UK and Bupa to help people with type 2 diabetes optimise the management of their condition.
The number of people affected by type 2 diabetes is increasing every year. An estimated 3 million people have diabetes in the UK, with type 2 diabetes accounting for 90% of this. A further 850,000 people are thought to have the condition but are not aware of it.
The educational programme Type 2 Diabetes and Me aims to offer online support, advice and information about how to suitably manage type 2 diabetes.
The effective management of type 2 diabetes is essential as poor diabetes control can increase the risk of developing long-term complications including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, amputation and premature death. In a bid to decrease the rates of diabetes-related complications and give people the best chance of healthy life, the new website is intended to help encourage people to achieve optimal control of their condition.
Avaliable online, a number of interactive sessions cover topics such as what type 2 diabetes is, how to manage the condition with glucose monitoring, medication and insulin, as well what care to expect from healthcare professionals. Information about living with diabetes on a daily basis, such as how to manage diabetes on holidays, whilst working and driving are also detailed. The programme explains the possible health complications associated with type 2 diabetes and discusses how to decrease the risk of developing them, including how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, diet and exercise regime.
Paula Franklin, Medical Director, Bupa, said: “The rising tide of type 2 diabetes is incredibly concerning. We appreciate that it isn’t easy to have to constantly manage an ongoing health condition like diabetes. Accessing the necessary information at the right time can also be difficult. With the launch of our new e-learning programme, we hope to help those living with diabetes to make more informed decisions in order to improve the management of their condition.”
Barbara Young, Chief Executive, Diabetes UK, said: “The number of people with type 2 diabetes in the UK is continuing to rise, and so, if not properly managed, this has the potential to be personally devastating for those who develop it and disastrous for the NHS because of the huge expense of complications.
“This is why we need to give people the support they need to manage the condition and we hope this new initiative with Bupa can help be part of this. It is vital that people with type 2 diabetes understand how they can manage their condition to make sure they have the best possible chance of a long, healthy life.
“The creation of Type 2 Diabetes and Me gives people with type 2 diabetes advice about lifestyle, self-management and information about the healthcare they are entitled to. We hope that in future years it comes to be seen as a landmark in using the internet to give people with the condition the support they need to manage their own condition.”
Type 2 Diabetes and Me can be found at www.type2diabetesandme.co.uk.
