COVID-19: Diabetes online self-management courses

Contents

 

Publication Reference Number: 001559 / C0564

To:

  • NHSE&I Regional Diabetes Programme SROs
  • Diabetes Clinical Network Leads
  • NHS Diabetes Programme Board Members

COVID-19: Diabetes online self-management courses

3 June 2020

Dear colleagues,

We write to inform you about the new online self-management courses we have put in place to help people living with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic which will launch from next week.

Recent data has shown that those living with diabetes are at a higher risk of serious complications from COVID-19 and poorer glycaemic control is also associated with poorer outcomes.

The new services are being commissioned centrally by NHS England and Improvement and will be free to access for local commissioners and patients and will help those living with diabetes to self-manage their condition more effectively. These services have been stepped up in response to COVID-19 to enable people living with diabetes to access online support where usual diabetes care may be delayed or disrupted.

The three new services and how people with diabetes can access them are outlined below;

1. Digibete: Type 1 diabetes support for children and young people

The DigiBete App and DigiBete.org web platform include a wide range of awareness, education, training and support resources for children and young people under 18 with Type 1 Diabetes, their families, HCPs and the wider community. The clinically approved resources included as part of the platform have been developed in partnership with Leeds Children’s Hospital Paediatric Team.

Children and young people with Type 1 diabetes will be able to access the service through their local diabetes care teams. Local teams will be contacted shortly with details of how to refer patients on to the programme which will be done via the distribution of programme licences. The service will be available from next week.

2. MyType1Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes support for adults

MyType1Diabetes, provided by MyWay Digital Health, includes tailored advice and information created by NHS experts in diabetes. Adults with Type 1 diabetes can use this platform to access lots of information about diabetes, including videos, leaflets and eLearning courses, to learn and understand more about their Type 1 diabetes and increase their confidence in how to manage it.

Adults with Type 1 diabetes can access the service directly by visiting myType1diabetes.nhs.uk and creating a free account. The service is available from next week.

3. Healthy Living for people with Type 2 Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes support for adults

Healthy Living is an online self-management support programme and accompanying structured education pathway for adults with Type 2 diabetes.

The platform provides users with the skills and knowledge to manage their Type 2 diabetes effectively, and offers information on treatments, advice on emotional and mental wellbeing, and helps users adopt and maintain healthy behaviours around diet and exercise.

From June 2020 NHSE&I will commence direct to consumer marketing of Healthy Living as part of our final development phase, and from September 2020 we plan to enable local systems to directly offer and refer into the service.

These services will ensure that there is a universal digital self-management offer for all people living with diabetes to compliment local services that you have available.Further resources will be made available to local teams in due course to help them refer into and/or promote all these services to their communities.

These services, alongside online appointments and a dedicated helpline for those treated with insulin are among a range of measures that we have already adopted so that diabetes care can go ahead as normal during this time.

The NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme is also being delivered remotely using platforms such as Microsoft Teams to continue to help those at risk of Type 2 diabetes to reduce their risk.

If you have queries on any of the content of this letter or if there is anything we may have missed, please contact Tom Newbound.

We also wanted to take this opportunity to thank local teams for their continued commitment in these difficult times.

Kind regards,

Professor Jonathan Valabhji | National Clinical Director | Diabetes and Obesity, SRO Diabetes

Professor Partha Kar | National Speciality Advisor: Diabetes

Tom Newbound | Director NHSEI, Diabetes