Electronic health advice on all aspects of diabetes is being offered free to all people with Type 2 diabetes via GP surgeries in Central Norfolk, and could reach up to 40,000 people with diabetes in Norfolk.

Diabetes specialists from the Elsie Bertram Diabetes centre at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital have developed new web based materials, podcasts and other media to allow people with diabetes free access to diabetes information without having to attend face to face meetings with a healthcare professional.

The initial funding for this project came from Workforce Transformation Funding (WTF), but local diabetes charity the Norfolk Diabetes Trust have now funded a project to try and make sure all patients with diabetes, and all GP practices in Norfolk can use these materials if they want to. The project is being led by Sister Sally Watson who has coordinated the development of these materials over the last year.

The free educational materials covering all aspects of diabetes and are:

•    22 films on Type 2 diabetes available on
www.nnuh.nhs.uk/videos/adultdiabetes

•    140 audio podcasts on Type 2 diabetes
www.nnuh.nhs.uk/podcasts/adultdiabetes

•    A comprehensive DVD for those without internet access free for all practices

Professor Mike Sampson, a diabetes specialist at the hospital, says: “There are about 40,000 people with diabetes in Norfolk, mostly looked after in General Practice, and there is a lot to learn about diabetes. These films and podcasts allow people to learn about diabetes from specialists, in the comfort of their own home, at a time of their choosing and help support them in the management of their condition.”

Sister Sally Watson, Project Manager  said: “GPs and practice nurses will be able to direct people with diabetes to these free materials in order to help patients to manage their diabetes better and what better time to launch these materials than during Diabetes Week!”

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Notes:

• It is estimated that about 70,000 people in Norfolk will have diabetes by 2030.

• About 10% of the diabetes population have Type 1 and 90% have Type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that there are more than 2.25 million diabetes patients in the UK.

• Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar (glucose) level to become too high. The hormone insulin – produced by the pancreas – is responsible for controlling the amount of glucose in the blood. There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 – where the pancreas doesn’t produce any insulin; Type 2 – where the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or the body’s cells don’t react to insulin.

Diabetes Week is Diabetes UK’s annual UK-wide awareness and fundraising week and this year’s runs from Sunday 14 June until Saturday, 20 June.

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