Winner
Working Together in Partnership: the further development of a children and young people’s diabetes service by enhancing training and education for both staff, patients and their families
by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
The key to success in paediatric diabetes care is that children and their families receive consistent messages from clinical staff at all points of the patient’s diabetes journey. The team in Leeds worked in partnership with patients and parents alongside the staff at the University of York to develop a comprehensive training package for healthcare professionals to be delivered annually. A workbook is given to families at the time of a child’s diagnosis which in turn is linked to a website with further useful information about living with diabetes. There is also a series of structured tutorials based on an educational diabetes curriculum, and further education in the form of pump training with a pump workbook, conversation map and review courses. Data demonstrates that patients are satisfied with the self-management education and there have been improved outcomes related to HbA1c results.
Judges' comments
"A wonderful concept with results we would want to see in every centre. I was impressed with the 3 way partnership between the university, clinical team and website designed for families."
Winner
Improving outcomes for adolescents with type 1 diabetes: the KICk-OFF structured education course
by Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
KICk-OFF is a five-day structured education course for 11- to 16-year-olds with type 1 diabetes. The aim of the course is to develop self-management skills around carbohydrate counting and insulin dose adjustment and to encourage participants to be able to manage their diabetes more effectively in everyday life. The curriculum was designed with input from school teachers to meet a variety of learning styles. When compared to ‘usual’ care, children involved in KICk-OFF have demonstrated improved quality of life measures and significant improvements in glycaemic outcomes.
Judges' comments
"I liked the fact there was major stakeholder consultation with kids and parents. The pilot had positive Hba1c results and there was impressive peer support."
Highly commended
Young Diabetes Connections – supporting families to live well
by a partnership between Evelina Children’s Hospital at Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust facilitated by the Diabetes Modernisation Initiative
Several hospitals in South London committed to collaborate to form a network of excellence for paediatric diabetes called Young Diabetes Connections (YDC). Turning the local diabetes services into a larger one with great capacity and expertise, YDC provides a shared out-of-hours phone service, an enhanced psychology provision delivered across departments, harmonised educational support across sites and shares a family support group. Early results this year show a reduction in non-attendance rates in under 14s, improved HbA1c results and an increase in the number of children on pumps.
Highly commended
‘Hearing Voices: do it in STYLe’
by Young Person Diabetes Team, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust
Portsmouth Diabetes Centre revamped its type 1 diabetes service from scratch, moving to a system where the condition was specifically commissioned by the local CCGs, separately from type 2 diabetes. Patients were invited to contribute via social media, direct questioning and focus groups to develop the ‘utopian T1DM service’, including a restructure of the clinic to a more relaxed atmosphere; clinics in the university campus; email and phone access to consultants; and educational sessions on topics such as alcohol, driving and piercings under the umbrella of an educational initiative called STYLe. Implemented gradually over the 12 months before entry, the initiatives have helped to reduce did-not-attend rates in clinics and hospital admissions.