Two of OCDEM's specialist diabetes support staff have been in the news this week: Katie Hards appears in this week's BBC1 programme 'One Day That Changed My Life', and both Katie and Angela Hargreaves (Diabetes Specialist Dietitian at OCDEM) have been awarded the Diabetes Clinical Champion - Katie and Angela are two of only 20 Diabetes UK champions across the country.
'One Day That Changed My Life' follows people as they go through extraordinary, life-changing moments, and the latest episode (currently available on BBC iPlayer) follows Abigail, who has diabetes, as she waits to hear about her treatment.
Besides supporting patients at OCDEM, Katie and Angela are also part of the multi-disciplinary cohort of 20 Diabetes UK champions across the UK - champions are supported to become catalysts for change, to help improve diabetes care across local health systems.
Each Champion has been selected on the basis that they demonstrated the personal skills, clinical expertise, passion and integrity to help deliver tangible improvements in care for people with diabetes. Their appointment is for two years, during which time they will receive considerable support from Diabetes UK, as well as a leadership development programme.
The BBC programme was a privilege to be involved in to enable the team to showcase the quality of care that we aspire to deliver here at OCDEM in partnership with our people living with diabetes, with the aim to support self-management
- Katie Hards
Katie added: "I am so pleased to be able to have been granted this opportunity to undertake the DUK clinical champion role. It is a fantastic opening to network and develop leadership skills to support the achievement of priority to enhance the quality of care and service we offer to people living with diabetes locally, nationally and internationally."
"My project to start with is the integration of care service delivery to people who are having a pancreatectomies to support a seamless, effective and efficient pathway for this group and transfer the learning gained of the integration to other specialities within the Diabetes services scope. "
Many congratulations to both Katie and Angela!