Health charity calls for healthcare professionals to champion local change
A leading diabetes charity is looking for healthcare professionals in the Cwm Taf area to give the leadership needed to improve services for people with diabetes in their area.
The role is open to any healthcare professional experienced in treating the complex needs of people with diabetes and with the potential to lead real change, including dietitians, consultants, GPs, nurses, podiatrists and senior pharmacists. The Diabetes UK voluntary role runs for two years and includes a package of support and training.
Diabetes UK and Novo Nordisk, who are providing support and funding for the programme, aim to recruit Clinical Champions to empower clinicians to improve services and to lead best practice in their areas.
Diabetes UK Cymru’s Director Dai Williams said: “Clinicians are uniquely well placed to be able to identify how diabetes services can improve, but all too often they are left frustrated and unable to deliver change.
“There is a diabetes crisis in Wales, with 183,000 people diagnosed with the condition and an estimated 59,000 people who have Type 2 diabetes but have not yet been diagnosed, and it is estimated a further 576,000 people are at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. In addition, we face variation in patient care, treatments and health outcomes across Wales.
“There is clear and growing evidence that it is possible to deliver better diabetes care without spending more money, by ensuring effective services are in place to help reduce the expensive and personally devastating complications that can result from poor management of the condition.
“The Clinical Champions programme launched in 2014 and since then we have recruited four Clinical Champions from Wales to join 25 others across the UK including dietitians, consultants, GPs, DSNs, podiatrists and pharmacists. They are already delivering some truly inspiring transformations. We want to continue to identify clinicians who have the potential to make a real difference and provide them with the support, personal and professional development needed to become catalysts for service improvement within their locality. Bespoke training and leadership development are just some of the benefits of being a Champion.”
“We are now looking to recruit the 2016 cohort of clinicians to drive change in localities across Wales.”
If you would like to find out more about the programme or download an application pack, go to www.diabetes.org.uk/Clinical-
This is a Diabetes UK project in collaboration with Novo Nordisk who are providing support and funding.
