https://youtu.be/o6yiV0afaUc At the ABCD autumn meeting in Brighton, ABCD Chair, Rob Gregory gave a memorable “swan song” after dinner speech in which he read from "The diabetic life" by RD Lawrence, 12th edition reprint with "wartime supplement".  Full footage of the speech has been published on the ABCD youtube channel as well as an alternative view in which the reading from RD Lawrence is highlighted. This was Rob Gregory's last meeting as Chair of the Association

Members working in England and Wales can now access the first report from the National Diabetes Audit for 2015-16. I encourage you to look at data for your own CCGs and trusts to see how you compare with your peers.  These data are important as they populate the CCG IAF and are used to identify those CCGs who are outliers in the worst sense. 

The Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom has a new vacancy for an Endocrinology & Diabetes SCE Examining Board Member. The deadline for applications being Monday 13 March, 2017. For appointment overview and duties and responsibilities see “current vacancies” on the website HERE

2017 Clinical Excellence Awards - for ABCD members applying for National Awards. The 2017 round opens on Tuesday 28th February 2017 and closes at 17.00 on Tuesday 25th April 2017. As before, ABCD will provide support to members who wish to make a national application at all levels. Please see the following information: HERE
 

Applications are being taken for a project to improve access to medical technology, specifically insulin pump therapy for adults with T1DM. The project has been shortlisted for the Darzi Fellowship programme in Kent, Surrey and Sussex. Applications, closing date January 23, 2017, should use the form below – it is the third project on the list:
The project: HERE

We are inviting colleagues to submit entries to this competition to find the best joint pharmacy and diabetes team initiative to improve insulin and prescribing safety in hospital.

On 11/12/16, the Scottish Government announced an additional £10 million funding for Type 1 diabetes. The funding is to increase pump provision over the next 5 years and provide CGM to priority groups of patients including those with severe hypoglycaemia.
The Scottish Government has also published its draft budget for 2017-18. In this they commit to a new national outcome for type 2 diabetes and announce the intention to consult on a new strategy on diet and obesity.

As mentioned in Rob Gregory’s excellent Christmas Chair’s bulletin (See HERE), the manufacturers of Lucozade have recently given notice of their intentions to reduce its glucose content. The timing coincides with national plans for a sugar tax and with plans for reformulation around implementation of the Childhood Obesity Plan. This will therefore require a different volume when Lucozade is used for oral glucose tolerance testing  (OGTT).

The next round of applications by NHS Trusts for Chief Registrars is open.  Please encourage your trusts to bid, and for your extremely talented SpRs to apply for such posts!  Click on the link HERE for all the information you need

The wait is over!  NHS England has advised that the Diabetes Call to Bid has now been published. The closing date for bids is 18 January.  Note there is a new requirement to those previously advised, for bids to be submitted via STPs. See HERE for more information