PCDS Newsletter: Successful launch for Primary Care Diabetes Society

After a year’s planning the steering committee of the Primary Care Diabetes Society chose the beginning of this year to introduce our group. Judging by the fantastic response to our launch, many of you, working as healthcare professionals in primary diabetes care decided that your new year’s resolution was to commit to an organisation which offers a unique forum and gives support and information to help with patient care.

Over 1000 healthcare professionals from all aspects of primary diabetes care have already joined. The membership is growing by the day, and it is cheering to see that all areas of the United Kingdom are covered by our membership, as well as several diabetes professions, including practice nurses, family doctors, diabetes specialist nurses and podiatrists.

The nGMS contract
It is apparent that many of you have been battling with details of the new General Medical Services (nGMS) contract and how it relates to diabetes. This resonates with many in the steering committee of the society who have watched as the contract evolved from evidence to targets and finally rewards. Those of us who have worked through this first year deserve congratulations and rewards, as well as support as the next round begins again in April 2005.

Society membership
Membership remains free. Those who join will receive this journal, incorporating this new section dedicated to PCDS news. They will also join the Primary Care Diabetes Europe (PCDE) – a young and well respected organisation in its own right, which is consistent in supporting the validity of a primary care approach to diabetes in the European context.

As we said in our launch editorial (last issue, p156), above all, we will seek to represent you, and to become the voice of primary care diabetes, to influence the future direction of healthcare policy in this field. Please continue to offer your support and encouragement through our journal and remember to put the dates of our first conference (11–12 November) in your diary.