Top marks for diabetes help
SCHOOL GIVEN AWARD FOR ITS SUPPORT IN HELPING PUPILS BATTLING CONDITION
A school on Wearside has been given a special award for its work in supporting children and young people who have Type 1 diabetes.
Bernard Gilpin Primary School, in Houghton, has won Diabetes UK’s Good Diabetes Care in School Awards.
The school was chosen by an assessment panel which included parents of pupils with diabetes at the school and representatives from Diabetes UK.
It has been recognised for the support it provides to ensure children with Type 1 at their school are fully included in all school activities and receive the care they deserve.
Peter Iveson, deputy headteacher and safeguarding lead, said: “We are delighted to receive the award to recognise the support our school is able to provide to children with Type 1 diabetes, good care for these children ensures they are able to participate fully in school life and all the opportunities that provides.”
Health chiefs argue it is hugely important that children and young people with diabetes receive good care in school to help them keep their blood glucose to target levels. In the short-term, high or low blood glucose levels can make a child extremely unwell, and in the long-term, high blood glucose levels can increase risk of serious complications such as amputation, blindness and stroke later in life.
The charity says that the award shows that good diabetes care in schools is achievable and presents an opportunity to share best practice amongst schools, helping to ensure that all students with diabetes get the support they need and can therefore achieve their full academic potential.
Diabetes UK is appealing to school staff, parents and healthcare professionals to nominate schools providing good care for the Good Diabetes Care in School Award.
Nominations received after July will go into the next year’s award cycle which will begin in September 2017.
Stephen Ryan, head of the north at Diabetes UK, said: “Bernard Gilpin Primary School have demonstrated that they are meeting best practice in the support they provide for children and young people with Type 1 diabetes, which is why they have become a recipient of our Good Diabetes Care in School Award.”
For more information on the Good Diabetes Care in School Award visit www.diabetes.org.uk/school-award.