To mark Diabetes Awareness Month 2022, under the theme “Education to Protect Tomorrow”, Diabetes UK Midlands and East have distributed over 6500 packs to 330 community pharmacies in NHS Birmingham and Solihull this month. These packs will improve access to diabetes education for people living with diabetes and healthcare professionals.
These packs offer materials as part of the New Medicines Service, which is a service to support people starting new medications for a long-term condition, including for diabetes. They include Diabetes UK information about Learning Zone, and information about the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, NHS Low-Calorie Diet Programme and MyDiabetes Healthcare Programme, a local education and support service for people with type 2 diabetes.
Peter Shorrick, Head of Midlands and East at Diabetes UK said:
“Community pharmacies play a key role in the prevention, early detection, care and support of people with type 2 diabetes. These packs help people find all the information they need, empowering them through education and linking them to healthcare professionals, starting with their local pharmacist. We are also asking Local Pharmacy Committees and Integrated Care Systems to signpost pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants to our upskilling online course so they can take on that important role.”
Our learning module, called Understanding Diabetes is endorsed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Royal College of Nursing.
The initiative, funded by NHS England, has also covered 20 pharmacies in Nottingham and will be expanded to over 80 pharmacies in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin in February 2023.
