Hi-tech help at hand to manage diabetes

Diabetes is a common condition in Wales, yet very few people are attending courses to learn how to manage it better. Here, Diabetes UK Cymru highlights one digital platform which is aiming to revolutionise the education process for patients

Pioneering digital techniques are being used in Wales to educate people with diabetes and help them to self-manage their condition.

Diabetes is a lifelong condition that requires careful daily management. If left untreated or not managed effectively, it can lead to such devastating complications as blindness, amputation, kidney disease and stroke, and can be life-threatening.

It can feel overwhelming, especially as most of the time people manage their condition themselves.

Education to understand the condition is vital and there are a number of structured education programmes available, including DAFNE and DESMOND, which are available UK-wide.

However, the Welsh Government’s Together for Health: Diabetes Annual Report 2015 showed less than 1% of diabetes patients in Wales attended a course.

To combat this, Diabetes UK Cymru is working with health boards across Wales to promote PocketMedic, an innovative way of introducing people to diabetes education.

PocketMedic is a digital platform where patients can access a series of high-quality health information films.

Healthcare professionals can prescribe the films to patients to help them learn more about managing their condition.

The films have been created by healthcare professionals and people living with diabetes. They are engaging and informative and present expert advice alongside real-life stories.

There are currently 30 diabetes films, covering Type 1, Type 2, gestational and those at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

They break information down into manageable amounts, covering everything from diet and exercise to medication and monitoring, with titles such as “What is diabetes?”, “What can I eat?” and “Looking after your feet”.

Patients can watch them online at any time, as many times as they like, using their computer, tablet or smartphone.

It is hoped that watching the films will encourage patients to seek out more structured education programmes, to further their knowledge and understanding. The films are currently available across Wales and have so far been prescribed to more than 4,600 patients. There are plans to roll them out across the UK by 2020.

A recent Swansea University study found a direct link between the number of films watched and a reduction in HbA1C level, an important marker of a patient’s diabetes control.

Dr Sam Rice is a consultant endocrinologist at Hywel Dda University Health Board and one of Diabetes UK’s Clinical Champions. Dr Rice said: “PocketMedic gives diabetes patients expert information, practical advice and emotional support in a format which is easy to digest.

“The films are already engaging patients and having a positive impact on the management of their condition.

“This is fantastic news and shows the difference new digital methods can make when it comes to effective health education.

“Structured diabetes education is still incredibly important in helping people live well with their condition, but we hope these films become a stepping-stone to more structured programmes.”

Dai Williams, national director of Diabetes UK Cymru, said: “Effective education makes living with diabetes easier, helping you understand what diabetes is and how it affects your body.

“By being better informed about their condition, people learn to make small adjustments which can help to prevent them from developing complications further down the line.

“Education courses also allow people to meet others with diabetes to form connections and share experiences.

“The PocketMedic films are a brilliant place to start when it comes to learning more about diabetes. They are a flexible and accessible resource which people can access from the comfort of their own home.

“The high-quality films break information into more manageable amounts and, we hope, will encourage people to seek out further education and support. We hope to see many more GPs getting behind this fantastic innovation which is already making a real difference to people with diabetes.”

For more information about PocketMedic, visit www.ehealthdigital.co.uk/video/introducing-pocketmedic-how-to-use-for-patients/ or contact info@pocketmedic.org.

For more information on diabetes education courses and how to find one near you, visit www. diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/ Managing-your-diabetes/Education.