The Link: Vol 12 No 9

National Diabetes Support Team
The National Diabetes Support Team (NDST) – a national team that works with front-line staff in both the diabetes and kidney communities to implement the National Service Frameworks – is now part of NHS Diabetes & Kidney Care.

The new National Clinical Director for Diabetes, Dr Rowan Hillson MBE, has worked closely with the NDST to identify priorities in service delivery and improvements for the years ahead. These include the following:

• Improving the inpatient care of people with diabetes.
• Improving diabetes care and information received through NHS Direct.
• Improving preconception care for women of child-bearing age with diabetes.
• Improving the knowledge base around the effectiveness of finger pricking for self-monitoring.
• Improving the delivery of effective care planning as part of supported self-care.
• Developing an effective 24-hour hotline to support people with diabetes in emergencies.
• Improving user involvement in designing and commissioning diabetes services.

The NDST will work closely with other organisations, as well as diabetes healthcare professionals, to deliver these priorities.

Meanwhile, the NDST has redesigned its website, which contains vital resources for healthcare professionals, including NDST publications, infopoints, factsheets and bulletins (see http://www.diabetes.nhs.uk).

As well as a sleek new look and user-friendly format, the site’s reading room has been restructured, with publications categorised by National Service Framework standards, as well as a powerful search tool.

Oliver Jelley, National Diabetes Support Team

Diabetes UK
Diabetes UK has launched its biggest-ever awareness campaign. Silent Assassin will increase awareness of diabetes with the message ‘diabetes is serious’. The general public, those at high risk, the undiagnosed and people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes will be targeted and encouraged to seek more information.

With front-line exposure to those at risk of developing diabetes, and those who have diabetes, your support is vital in helping to ensure that these people are identified and treated. We would ask you to remember the following:

• People at high risk of cardiovascular disease may also be at risk of type 2 diabetes.
• People over 40 years of age, or over 25 years of age if from black and minority ethnic groups, should be assessed for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• Having a large waist circumference increases an individual’s risk of developing not only type 2 diabetes, but also cardiovascular disease.
• Early identification and effective treatment of diabetes is essential to reduce the risk of complications.
• People with diabetes are up to five times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than people without the condition. South Asian are at even higher risk.

To get copies of supporting materials for the Silent Assassin campaign, and information in other languages, please ring 0800 585 088 and quote SAHCP8 or visit www.diabetes.org.uk/onlineshop. For more information visit www.diabetes.org.uk/SilentAssassin.

Sarah Milsom, Diabetes UK

Diabetes UK
Diabetes UK is organising a 1-day event specifically for families with a child with type 1 diabetes under the age of five years – and we need your help.

The event will take place at The Thistle Bloomsbury Hotel in central London on 4 April 2009. On the day, parents will receive talks from healthcare professionals and have lots of networking opportunities while their children are taken care of and entertained – which is where you come in!

We are looking for doctors, nurses and dietitians with experience in paediatric diabetes to help look after the children.

All travel expenses for the event will be reimbursed, and lunch and refreshments will be provided.

To volunteer please contact Libby Dowling, Care Advisor at Diabetes UK, on 020 7424 1037 or [email protected]

Sarah Milsom, Diabetes UK