PCDS Committee election candidate biographies 2017

Su Down*
Su Down is a Nurse Consultant in Diabetes and is the Clinical Lead for the Intermediate Diabetes Community Service in Somerset. Her diabetes nursing career began in 1989, when she set up the diabetes specialist nursing (DSN) service in South Somerset. Su took up the role of Nurse Consultant in 2005 and has played a key part in redesigning the diabetes services across Somerset. Part of her role also includes the delivery of a pregnancy service within one of the acute hospital Trusts in Somerset.

Nationally, she is co-Vice Chair of the PCDS Committee and has published on topics including the challenges of delivering commissioned services, the importance of injection technique in diabetes, the future challenges for DSN services and empowerment. Su has also won national awards for work relating to FIT4Safety.

The constant challenge of ensuring that an equitable service is delivered to the ever-growing population of Somerset is one that Su finds highly rewarding. Furthermore, she has relished being able to have an influence on both national and international projects.

Patrick Holmes
Patrick Holmes has been a full-time GP/Partner in the same medical practice in the town of Darlington, in the North of England, for the past 19 years. In addition to this, he works part-time as a GPwSI in Diabetes visiting a number of medical practices in the Derwentside area of County Durham. He has also been the local CCG diabetes lead for the past 12 years.

Patrick’s hope is to give the North-East a presence on the committee.

David Millar-Jones*
David is a full-time GP in Cwmbran and has established a successful intermediate care service within the locality. He is also an Associate Specialist in Diabetes and a Lecturer for Cardiff Medical School. This gives him a good working knowledge of secondary care and educational needs and standards. David is also an executive committee member for the Welsh Endocrine Society, whose aim is to direct the Welsh Assembly Government regarding endocrinology in Wales.

David stands for good standards of care, structure, education and support within primary care in order for this to be recognised as the principal arena for diabetes management. He has been Chair of the PCDS Committee since 2012.

Nicola Milne*
Nicola qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1988 and as a Midwife in 1991, moving into primary care in 2002, where she has since worked as a Practice Nurse. Whilst retaining a generalist role, Nicola has a special interest in diabetes, with a key focus on ensuring effective, accessible care.

Valuing engagement and the sharing of good practice, Nicola has presented poster abstracts at PCDS, Diabetes UK and EASD conferences. She has become increasingly involved in educational activities supporting community nurses and has published articles on her work in chronic kidney disease and diabetes, and on projects involved in diabetes prevention and pregnancy. She is currently Vice Chair of the Professional Conference Organising Committee of Diabetes UK.

Nicola is committed to the value of the practice nurse as the first point of contact and believes this role, in partnership with the multidisciplinary team, is crucial in supporting prevention, education and optimal management of diabetes.