South Yorkshire Research & Innovation Forum: Diabetes

The quarterly South Yorkshire Research & Innovation Forum took place on Thursday 7 November, with the session focusing on diabetes to coincide with World Diabetes Day on Thursday 14 November

Ani Kumar, Diabetes Programme Manager, NHS South Yorkshire opened the event with an overview of NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board diabetes priorities and progress, and said: “Diabetes is a major contributor to ill-health and health inequalities in South Yorkshire – nearly 20% of people in South Yorkshire have diabetes or are at risk of developing type two diabetes.”  She shared that NHS South Yorkshire has implemented a programme designed to enhance the engagement of services with young adults, as well as new technology – the Hybrid Closed Loop System for people with type one diabetes, a review of patient education resources and an increase in the number of people receiving all key process of care, which are all contributing to tackling the ‘rising tide of diabetes’.

Dr Jackie Elliott, Clinical Lead for Diabetes and Honorary Consultant, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust introduced Factor 50 – using a digital approach to enable clinical prioritisation of large waiting lists using available data. By prioritising high risk patients, Factor 50 not only releases clinic capacity, but improves healthcare outcomes for the sickest patients. This programme is live in Sheffield with other trusts following suit.

Dr Linda Mizun, Founder of Hero of Health brought two expert patients who demonstrated the success of the Hero of Health Integrated Neighbourhoods research, an app which creates virtual neighbourhoods offering health services, resources, disease reversal programs and neighbourly support for users. Regular walking groups are organised through the app and the audience heard powerful testimonials from the two expert patients, with one sharing how, as well as reducing his weight and better managing his diabetes, the support of the walking group was invaluable in helping him through his wife’s illness.

There was plenty of lively discussion in the two break-out sessions, where attendees discussed how to work together across systems in managing and improving diabetes care, and how to empower patients and communities to engage with diabetes prevention, treatment and care.

The forum also gave the stage to a group of medical students who presented a review of the uptake of diabetic key care processes in England, and Dr Rao Kolusu, Clinical Lead for Diabetes, NHS South Yorkshire ICB Doncaster Place who asked what can we do differently.

The forum was a great opportunity to hear from colleagues from across South Yorkshire on many different aspects of diabetes with thanks to all those who presented and gave their insights in the discussion sessions.