Part of the DESMOND Programme
Bromley Healthcare
The Lifestyles Team in the Health Improvement Service of Bromley Healthcare, which is made up of just two people, was tasked with providing the Walking Away from Diabetes (WAFD) programme for 320 people identified with pre-diabetes in the London Borough of Bromley.
In order to promote the programme they launched an event which allowed the referral networks to be set up. There were 1,242 referrals received from April 2014 to October 2015 from 98 per cent of all GP practices in the area. Since then, 630 of those people have completed the programme and another 221 are booked onto further sessions until March 2016.
To support the DESMOND philosophy, the service has allowed a family member, carer or friend to come onto the programme with the person who is at risk of Type 2. Of those who have already completed the programme over 97 per cent would recommend it to their family and fr
iends. The team have gone above and beyond to further demonstrate the impact clinical outcomes people, who completed the programme, are experiencing.
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
The DESMOND Programme has been provided by staff for approximately eight years. Within that timeframe, the team has seen many changes in the organisation itself, management and staff. Despite the adjustments the team has had continual support and leadership which has facilitated the consistent delivery of up to three DESMOND courses a week.
The team provide DESMOND Newly Diagnosed and Foundation modules to around 600 patients a year. The team travel great distances across the district in order to deliver DESMOND to where people live.
They are constantly striving to improve their services and pride themselves on their links with primary care staff. Most practice nurses, health trainers and retinal screening staff have observed the course they provide to allow them to promote what it is they do in a confident and accurate way. Their team of Educators are passionate, flexible, friendly and all have a great sense of humour.
Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
DESMOND has been delivered by Cumbria Diabetes since 2009. The team have a mutidisciplinary team of 37 Educators including diabetes specialist nurses, dietitians, practice nurses, podiatrists and lay educators.
The team are constantly undergoing Educator development in a bid to improve the services they offer. In the past year the team have delivered 170 DESMOND Newly Diagnosed and Foundation courses along with 167 Walking Away from Diabetes courses. The team have arranged a county wide study day to facilitate Educator networking, provide an update on local and national issues and promote the sharing of challenges, solutions and best practice. DESMOND is firmly embedded in the culture, understanding and professional behaviour of the health community in Cumbria. From point of referral, through to course completion, the team believe that Cumbria Diabetes takes a person centred approach. They support the person with diabetes to explore their health beliefs, understanding and application of positive behaviour change in day to day life; building confidence and enabling individuals to become an expert in their self-management.
DESMOND Australia
The DESMOND Australia team has been busy this year travelling training health professionals to deliver the programme in Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania. They have trained 160 health professionals, developed a website and now regularly distribute a DESMOND E-newsletter.
Building on training and development visits by DESMOND UK over the past two years, the DESMOND Australia team has developed a DESMOND Training and Quality Development (QD) Team based at Diabetes WA. Training new trainers, delivering study days to provide current Educators with up-to-date information and refreshers on DESMOND modules, and initiating the delivery of Walking Away are a few of the activities that the team has engaged in.
As DESMOND Australia gains momentum and the number of programmes and trainers increases across Western Australia (WA), stakeholders from the Aboriginal community have expressed interest in DESMOND. Evidence shows that Aboriginal people are, on average, three to five times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes in their lifetime, and the DESMOND Australia team has responded to their need for education and support.