Work to improve diabetes care in north east London has won national recognition.
The dedication and collaborative work of NHS teams was praised as two local projects were named among the winners at the 2022 Quality in Care (QiC) Awards.
The annual QiC Awards seek to recognise and reward innovative and high quality practice in diabetes care and the winners are recognised by patients and health professionals as improving the quality of life for people living with diabetes and their families.
The two north east London (NEL) winners were:
- The North East London Type 1 Diabetes Transformation (NATALIE) won the Patient Care Pathway category. The project (a collaboration by NHS North East London, Barts Health NHS Trust, Homerton University Hospital and the Clinical Effectiveness Group at Queen Mary University of London) saw a toolkit developed for GP practices, along with a high-risk register and an app for patients, to ensure people with type 1 diabetes have equal access to care across NEL. The judges said: “We were pleased to see the impact the app made when it was used. In addition to this, we noted the excellent focus on innovation, diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
- Work to support people with recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) by Barts Health and East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) won the Wellbeing category. DKA is a serious complication resulting from diabetes which can be fatal if not treated, and there is an established link between the condition and mental health struggles. Since April 2019, weekly screening of new patients and focused mental health support for those at high risk of DKA has led to a 20% fall in hospital admissions and a 50% reduction in bed days. The judges praised the trusts’ work in assessing and tailoring care around patients’ needs, saying: “It had strong feedback and is clearly a very valuable project”
Dr Christopher Garrett, consultant in diabetes psychiatry at Barts Health and ELFT, said: “We’re delighted to win these awards – they’re recognition of the innovative and ground-breaking collaborative work partners are doing to improve support and treatment for people living with diabetes across north east London.
“As the judges acknowledged, both of these projects have made, and are continuing to make, a significant contribution to improving the quality of life of diabetes patients and their families. Our aim to build on this work and deliver further improvements in care.”
Work to diagnose and support people with diabetes is being highlighted today (Monday 14 November) as part of World Diabetes Day, organised by Diabetes UK. For more information on managing diabetes, visit the North East London Health and Care Partnership website.