2014 winners

Team of the Year – 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.

Educator of the Year – Ciara Heverin, Galway University Hospitals and Galway, Roscommon PCCC

Alongside colleague Lorna Hurley, Ciara, a Senior Community Diabetes Dietitian, became the first DESMOND educator in Ireland in 2007. It was the first step on the way to achieving her ambition of introducing high-quality structured education for people with Type 2 diabetes.

Together with Lorna, Ciara then trained as a trainer and quality development assessor, delivering the country’s first educator training – they now conduct about 25 educator assessments annually. In 2010, Ciara led on the introduction of a DESMOND pathway, meaning DESMOND is the first point of contact for all newly-diagnosed people with Type 2 diabetes.

There are now 53 educators delivering DESMOND to over 1,200 people across 20 counties in Southern Ireland thanks to Ciara’s dedication and pioneering work.

Excellence Award – Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Cumbria Diabetes launched DESMOND (Newly Diagnosed) in March 2009.

They started delivering six courses per month across the county and then in 2010 the DESMOND Foundation for people with established Type 2 diabetes was launched. In 2012 ‘Walking Away from Diabetes’ came on board.

DESMOND is now firmly established as the structured education course of choice for people with Type 2 diabetes, and via ‘Walking Away’ for people at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

In the last 12 months there has been DESMOND 1,800 referrals and 300 people referred to the DESMOND Foundation module.

Also in the last year, 171 DESMOND courses have been delivered in Cumbria and 185 ‘Walking Away’ courses, with 2,700 people at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes referred to ‘Walking Away’.

There is a local study day for educators and plans to roll out ‘Injectable Therapies Toolkit’ in 2015.

Innovation Award – Lancashire Care Foundation Trust

The DESMOND team at Lancashire Care has supported the provision of BME DESMOND across Preston, Chorley and South Ribble for the last six years.

The commitment has seen a 38 per cent rise in attendance numbers for courses run in Gujarati, Urdu and English in the last year. Diabetes Link worker Mumtaz Sheik has been crucial to the success.

DESMOND sessions are held in a local health centres situated in the middle of the South Asian community while prayers are accommodated. Local Imams promote the programme at Friday prayers.

The BME programme has extended to offering preparation for Ramadan. Mumtaz is now developing a resource and education programme to support not only the diabetes team but other long-term condition teams. She has also been able to support other DESMOND providers across the country as well as representatives from India and Nepal.

Patient of the Year – Clare nominated by Eleanor Gemmell, Great Yarmouth and Waveney CCG – Administration Team

Diagnosed in 2013, Clare attended a DESMOND course. The course has helped her shed two and a half stone, going from a size 16 to 10. Her cholesterol has gone from 5.8 to 4.2 and her HbA1c has dropped from 58 to 48.

Prior to diagnosis Clare felt unwell for sometime.

She had unparalleled personal tragedy in her life and experienced panic attacks. Clare attended DESMOND with her dad. Clare says DESMOND “was an eye opener” and that “it changed everything”.

DESMOND gave Clare the tools to turn her life around. Clare eats a healthy diet, she described the major changes to her diet: “What I loved the most was the Saturday night takeaway has become a Saturday night buffet with tasty healthy options like skinned drumsticks with spicy coating, home-made oven baked fries (man pipers, boiled, cut then dry roasted), salads and a fruit cocktail.”

Clare’s attitude to exercise is also impressive, with a commitment to walking twice a day covering five miles.