DPC News

The first virtual Diabetes Professional Care (DPC2020) event has scooped two prizes at a major digital awards ceremony.

COVID-19 has had a “significant impact in terms of morbidity and mortality,” says a top professor who specialises in diabetes among older people.

With Dexamethasone being given to more people to treat coronavirus, Professor Alan Sinclair is concerned about how the drug is impacting older people, particularly those who are in care homes or long-term care.

“Grateful and emotional” is how DPC Founder Maggie Meer describes her feelings after getting her COVID-19 vaccine.

“When it comes to injection technique within the field of diabetes, we all have a duty to empower people,” that is according to a top Community Diabetes Specialist Nurse.

Beth Kelly, from the Southampton City Solent NHS Trust, says the main problem is many healthcare professionals are not given the right information themselves.

Community Pharmacists are an “untapped resource” who could become “essential assets” when it comes to promoting best practice injection technique.

That is according to Vicky Ruszala, who is a specialist Pharmacist for diabetes at North Bristol NHS Trust and is also taking part in the next DPC and BD CPD-accredited webinar series.

A simple survey about injection technique in insulin-dependent diabetes found that many healthcare professionals do not have “confidence in their knowledge” about the subject.

That is according to Consultant Nurse Lesley Mills who has been championing self-management and best injection technique for many years.

“It takes a moment to address, but if ignored could have long-term negative impacts,” says Dr Patrick Holmes.

The GIRFT report has provided a real opportunity to “support, drive and prevent” diabetes footcare variation, says a top podiatrist. 

Key experts from the field of diabetes have been carefully selected to lead each free, CPD accredited webinar which will take place every Wednesday at 7pm for six weeks.

“I’m now doing two extra diabetes clinics a week seeing more than 50 extra patients, so yes COVID has definitely had an impact,” says Beth Kelly, a Type 1 Liaison Diabetes Specialist Nurse in Southampton.