Description
The Diabetes Education Network Scotland is a Regional Network of the Diabetes Education Network, previously the Type 1 Education Network. The aims and objectives of the DEN(S) are outlined below along with the philosophy of the national network that DEN(S) will adopt.
Philosophy
Diabetes is a complex condition, which is affected by, and can affect almost all daily activity. Most day to day decisions (eg food choices, activity levels, the taking of medication or insulin) which affect blood glucose levels, are made by the person with diabetes. As such, people with diabetes who are able to are responsible for managing their condition.
People with diabetes require knowledge and skills to enable them to understand the effects of lifestyle on their diabetes and vice versa, and how they can adjust their treatment to enable them to lead the lifestyle of their choice while maintaining stable blood glucose control. They also need information on the consequences of poor control of their diabetes so they can make informed choices in setting appropriate personal goals for the management of their diabetes.
The role of the health care professional is to provide support to people with diabetes to enable them to develop realistic short term and long-term management goals, and to help them acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve those goals.
The person with diabetes has the right to expect the following from their health care professional:
· The development of an open, honest and non-hierarchical relationship with the person with diabetes.
· An approach which treats the person as an individual, which is respectful of their health beliefs, and which is supportive, consistent, and non-judgemental.
· An opportunity to identify and review the person’s needs, concerns and goals
· The provision of up to date, accurate and consistent information about diabetes, treatment options and local services (e.g. education programmes) available, in order to address their needs and concerns and help meet their goals.
The health care professional will achieve this by:
· Engaging with the person with diabetes and gaining their trust
· Identifying and exploring their current health beliefs and factors which motivate current self-care behaviours
· Helping the person with diabetes explore and understand the risks and benefits of their current situation/management choice and of any alternative options.
· Providing appropriate information to support decision making
· Providing (or providing access to) knowledge and skills needed to achieve self-care behaviour appropriate to that decision.
Structured education programmes:
are an appropriate means by which people with diabetes can learn the knowledge and skills necessary to support appropriate self-care behaviours. Such programmes should:
· Be explicit in their aims and objectives
· Be consistent with the principles outlined above
· Employ appropriate learning theories
· Fulfil or be working towards fulfilling the criteria set by the NICE and Diabetes UK.
Aim
To support diabetes teams in integrating structured education for children and adults with diabetes into their service by:
· Providing a structure for sharing educational strategies, ideas and approaches.
· Supporting the work of the Scottish Diabetes Group (SDG) and its sub-groups to further develop its framework for patient education to meet NICE criteria i.e. curriculum development, educator training, quality assurance and audit.
· Organising meetings and events in Scotland with a focus on local issues and structures while utilising the experience and support of the established national network.
To achieve these aims the steering group will
· Establish a communication process and build a database of interested health care professionals.
· Establish links with the SDG and its sub –groups to foster collaborative working. The groups include: the Diabetes Education Advisory Group (DEAG); the Diabetes Care Focus Group (DCFG); the Short Life Working Group for Type 1 Diabetes; Scottish Diabetes Industry Group (SDIG); Managed clinical Networks (MCNs).
· Facilitate curriculum development, audit and external evaluation of structured education programmes.
· Identify funding for meetings and administrative support.
· Report annually to the SDG.
Diabetes Education Network Scotland Steering Group
Tony Doherty - Care Advisor Diabetes UK
Katie Duncan - Dietetic Manager Fife Health Board
Theresa Ferrie - Research Clinician, Education and Type 1 Diabetes
Kathryn Fraser - Dietitian, Forth Valley Health Board
Chris Kelly - Consultant Physician, Forth Valley Health Board
Kingsley Matthews - Patient and DESMOND lay educator
Mary Robertson - DSN Tayside Health Board
A DAFNE (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating) representative has been invited to join the steering group and we plan to recruit a DESMOND/X-PERT programme representative.