Diabetes UK has appointed twenty healthcare professionals, including consultants, nurses, GPs, dietitians, podiatrists, pharmacists and psychologists as its newest cohort of Clinical Champions
The award-winning Clinical Champions programme supports healthcare professionals to become strong local leaders, working to address the significant variation in patient care and treatment for people living with diabetes across the UK.
The newest intake of Champions have been selected based on their skills, clinical expertise and a demonstrable passion for transforming care for people with diabetes. They will be supported by Diabetes UK with two years of training alongside their clinical work, to help them identify improvements and drive vital change in diabetes services in their local areas.
The Clinical Champions programme was launched by Diabetes UK in 2014, in partnership with Novo Nordisk. There are now 105 Clinical Champions across the UK, with access to a network of like-minded clinicians, with whom they can work through issues, share ideas and best practice, and challenge each other in a supportive environment.
Between them, they have trained thousands of other healthcare professionals, developed innovative new clinics, reduced medication errors, increased the number of people getting treatment for diabetes, and much more.
Ben Ellis, Head of Healthcare Improvement at Diabetes UK, said: “Investment in better diabetes care brings both human and economic benefits – it reduces the number of the devastating and costly health complications, which can develop as a result of the lack of the right treatment and support.
“That’s why our Clinical Champions are so important. They play a critical role in leading improvements to the care people living with diabetes receive so that they can lead long and healthy lives.”
Pinder Sahota, General Manager at Novo Nordisk UK, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Diabetes UK on this ambitious initiative aimed at empowering a growing network of diabetes Clinical Champions. These are inspiring individuals who wish to become advocates for change and quality improvement in diabetes services across the NHS.
“In the current environment this is no easy task and Novo Nordisk is passionate about enabling leaders who wish to improve the quality of care that people with diabetes need and deserve.”
