Part of the DESMOND Programme
Beccles Medical Centre, NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group
The team consists of a GP clinical lead for diabetes within the NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group, eight educators, a dietician and a proactive administration team from Beccles Medical Centre.
Approximately three courses are booked across the catchment area per month.
They have used ‘Taster Sessions’ to attract a wider group, including schools, community advocates, mental health establishments, GP practices and the primary healthcare community in Protected Time Learning (PTL) sessions.
The team has responded to evaluation sheets by initiating a section in the patient story to discuss feelings about diagnosis and are looking to introduce follow-up sessions.
Several more educators have been recruited to deliver the DESMOND programme. They are supported and mentored by the existing team. One team member is undertaking training to be a trainer.
DESMOND Australia
DESMOND first came to Western Australia in 2011, with UK representatives training 12 health professionals. Three further health professionals at DESMOND Western Australia have also been trained up to train others in the programme.
This has allowed the DESMOND programme to grow across Western Australia and inter-state to include Canberra and Hobart with strong interest from other state health organisations.
They visited New Zealand in October to train seven health professionals.
Since 2011 the team has trained 91 health professionals to deliver DESMOND. DESMOND Western Australia alone has had 1,000 people participate in the DESMOND programme in this time. DESMOND Australia is growing at a fast pace with plans to have DESMOND in each state by the end of 2015.
Locala Community Partnerships
Before DESMOND came to Locala, there was a very limited number who accessed appointments, no waiting list as such and limited promotion of the service. Attendance to sessions was often poor.
Analysis and intelligence gained from a database helped the team to focus on getting DESMOND recognised and accessible.
Locala also then set up a Facebook page (Locala DESMOND) where DESMOND information is available to patients after or before attending sessions. Patients leave anonymous feedback regarding their session to help others understand how it has helped them.
There is also a web page dedicated to DESMOND with videos and access to referral forms.
Attendance has rocketed since DESMOND, with a waiting list for the service.
Preston City Council
DESMOND’s ‘Walking Away’ was launched in Preston, Chorley and South Ribble in December 2013 and there has already been 26 courses.
The Sport and Health Development Team at Preston City Council has promoted the programme by sending information to 63 GP surgeries, attending a Practice Nurse Forum, 20 community events and 50-plus network groups. Links have also been made with public services and community groups.
This outreach work has resulted in 58 per cent of referrals being instigated by GP and practice nurses, 30 per cent through self-referral and 22 per cent via events or services.
The Sport and Health Team was chosen by the WHO to submit a case study and poster presentation focusing on the work to the International Healthy Cities Conference in Greece.
Data results highlight a positive increase in physical activity levels following a Walking Away course.
West Suffolk Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
The West Suffolk Hospital DESMOND team has been the provider for the DESMOND education sessions for the West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) since April 2014.
Since then the number of people attending DESMOND sessions has grown significantly. QoF requirements that people with newly diagnosed diabetes should be offered structured education, but effective promotion has also played a major part.
As well as engaging with GPs and practice nurses, a straight forward referral process has been put in place together with promotional literature targeted to providers.
The sessions are delivered in a way that allows flexibility to the programme according to the ‘flow’ of discussion yet builds on each element.
The team encourages each other to deliver all parts of the programme and they learn from each other’s strengths.