June 23rd 2016 was memorable for:
….........the first ABCD Clinical and Commissioning News Live event. I was at the hub at the RSM in London attended by lots of people despite torrential overnight rain and storms that proved too much for the Metropolitan line and for several roads from the South East. We were linked by live streaming to spokes at Leeds, Kegworth and Wolverhampton. The day started with outstanding state of the art updates from Peter Hammond, Steve Bain and Alan Sinclair, followed by an overview of the commissioning environment from Jonathan Valabhji, Julie Wood and Jim O'Donnell. Thought-provoking presentations followed from Nick Oliver on the Type 1 service specification; the challenges of recommissioning diabetes services in Derbyshire from the perspectives of provider and commissioner, Paru King and Mick Burrows; principles of diabetes service redesign from Syed Gillani; and seven tips for successful commissioning of diabetes services from Ben Ellis. Finally delegates in each centre celebrated local innovations and considered how best to deal with local challenges. The feedback was generous, despite some technical glitches, and most people wanted to do it again next year. My thanks to partner organisations Diabetes UK and NHS Clinical Commissioners, the organisers, sponsors, speakers and chairs. For those of you who were unable to attend the event will be posted on the ABCD website very soon.
…....... the EASDec Meeting in Manchester, 'Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy in Europe – Impact of New Technologies'. Charles Fox, ABCD Ambassador, represented UK diabetologists at this event. It is great to have people with such experience who are prepared to step in at short notice when committee members are unable to do so. Anyway the bottom line (sorry!) is that fewer people in the UK are going blind because of diabetes, and this has been attributed to the success of retinal screening programmes. See article by Richard Holt in Diabetic Medicine https://t.co/3hFUKKrrqN . This made me reflect on my inability to access the results of annual eye screening for patients attending my clinic. How can we be expected to manage people with diabetes without having all relevant information?
…......I'm sure there was something else, but it must have slipped my mind. Oh yes, we now have a Prime Minister who has type 1 diabetes. It remains (sorry again!) to be seen whether this helps the cause.
Junior Doctors Contract
The vote to reject the contract offered to trainees in England has led to the resignation of the person who recommended it be put to the vote. Sounds familiar? Whatever else, it has done wonders for the post foundation training 'gap year'. I wonder who will fill the rota gaps. Roll on August.
British Journal of Diabetes
I would like to thank Parth Narendran, Acting Editor, and the associate editors for putting together an excellent second issue of the journal. I thought it was a good read, and not just because I had an article in it. The production team are currently testing a new on-line submissions system for articles, that should simplify and speed up the process for authors, so go ahead and test it out. We are strengthening the associate editorial team by appointing people to cover specific subject areas. Umesh Dashora has asked me to remind you submit items for his news section.
ABCD IPN-UK
The enthusiastic committee met recently and has responded to the request for unbiased practical education expressed by those attending the spring conference by planning two whole day events for pump teams later in the year. They are aimed at teams, so a minimum of two delegates from an organisation. To attend you first need to register (free) as a member of IPN-UK HERE
Chair of RCPL Joint Specialist Committee for Endocrinology and Diabetes (JSC)
This committee advises the college about matters appertaining to our specialty. The current Chair, John Newell-Price was nominated by the Society for Endocrinology, while the current Secretary, Peter Winocour was an ABCD nominee. I am very grateful to him for his active and effective contribution in this role. It is now the turn of ABCD to nominate the next Chair, and SfE the next Secretary. Dinesh Nagi will circulate a brief job description and person specification for the Chair, and members will be invited to express an interest. Peter Winocour has indicated a willingness to do the job, but I am keen that others should have a chance to be considered. It is a very senior position and so we are looking for someone with a thorough understanding of matters diabetological and endocrinological, preferably with experience of college council and/or ABCD executive or committee work.
ABCD Committee
This year the only vacancies on committee are for the Welsh and Scottish Representatives, as Aled Roberts and Johnny McKnight have each come the the end of two terms. I would like to thank them both for their support and contributions, in particular for helping to ensure that the ABCD conferences in and Cardiff and Edinburgh were so successful. We hope to welcome the new representatives to the next committee meeting on 7th September.
ABCD New Website - https://abcd.care
The new website is taking shape thanks to the efforts of Tricia Bryant, Andy Macklin, Melissa Cull and Bob Ryder. We are now sending all official mailings using the new members database. The original website with its wealth of information will still be accessible, but it is important that members use the new site to view announcements, access member-only information, contact each other via the members directory and register for events.
If you don't know your username and/or password you can access these simply by clicking HEREand entering your registered email address. You will then receive an email with one-time access to the site. Click the link in the email and then edit your account with your new password and/or username. We do NOT recommend using your email address as your username since your username is the ID that is exposed on the directory of members. If you do not wish to be listed on the directory of members (this is only accessible by members of ABCD) please contact us HEREand we will ensure your details are excluded from the directory
If you are having any problems with accessing the website please let us know HERE so that we can support you during the transition.
ABCD Nationwide Audits of New Therapies
Bob Ryder's team has launched a new audit to capture real world data regarding insulin degludec/liraglutide (Xultophy). I would encourage members to contribute to this, to the dapagliflozin audit, and to the other active audits on the website.
May I take this opportunity to wish you all a great summer holiday whether you choose to remain at home or briefly to exit Britain.
Rob Gregory
Chair ABCD Committee, Leicester
