Winner
DAWN – Diabetes Appointments via Webcam in Newham
by Barts Health NHS Trust
Traditional models of routine follow-up out-patient care are widely recognised to be inefficient and often ineffective as they fail to reliably provide responsive care when patients need intervention. This project aimed to provide more accessible and cost-effective diabetes care by replacing routine follow-up out-patient appointments for patients who don’t require physical examination with web-based consultations. It used everyday technology available in people's homes and included patients of all ages from ethnically diverse communities conducted in an urban inner-city environment. From January 2011 to the time of entry, 234 online appointments had been conducted. Trends support the qualitative data showing patients who have had several webcam appointments have a reduction in HbA1c levels with fewer A&E attends. A two-year study is now ongoing exploring the role of web-based consultations in improving self-management.
Judges' comments
"A brilliant project with major benefits to both people with diabetes and doctors. Healthcare professionals were able to target a hard to reach group in an innovative way. Young adults are often those with the greatest need and they can engage via this method."
Finalist
'Tree of Life Project': an innovative day event for young people living with diabetes
by University College London
Diabetes can dominate the lives of the ‘hard-to-reach’ group of teenagers, making them feel disconnected from family and friends. The 'Tree of Life' is a day event for people with diabetes aged 10 to 19 to get together and share knowledge and experiences of living with diabetes. It aims to help young people to build positive views of themselves, with an identity separate from diabetes. It uses the 'Tree of Life' as a metaphor to provide 'hooks' upon which participants can hang stories about their lives and discuss the impact living with diabetes has had. Up to the date of entry, 28 young people have attended six day events and evaluation has been extremely positive.
Finalist
The challenges of delivering the X-PERT diabetes programme in a male high-security prison regime
by Sabina Mangan, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Prisoners represent a marginalised group for people with diabetes. To overcome this, the Worcestershire team adapted the national X-PERT programme for improving self-management of diabetes to best meet the needs of prisoners in a high-security prison where the minimum sentence is four years. The team had to manage complications such as segregation, restricted facilities and demands for highly detailed planning for staffing and security for groups to assemble in order to educate this high-risk, hard-to-reach group. Following the programme, there was a reduction in BMI in prisoner groups. Prisoners were positive about the outcomes and in a follow-up session a year later were still motivated to attend and discuss diet and progress.