Galway University Hospitals’ Diabetes Team wins 2013 Healthcare Award

An initiative to introduce structured education programmes for people with diabetes by the Diabetes Education Team at Galway University Hospitals has won the “Patient Lifestyle Education Project” category at the Irish Medical Times 2013 Healthcare Awards.

(l-r) Bernadette McDonnell, Diabetes Nurse Specialist; Dr Sean Dinneen, Consultant Physician and Senior Lecturer, School of Medicine, NUI Galway; Mary Clare O’Hara, Diabetes Education Project Manager; Carmel Murphy, Senior Diabetes Dietitian 

The project involves providing structured training to people with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes so that they can develop the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully self manage their chronic illness.

The programme for people with type 1 diabetes is called DAFNE or Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating and the Diabetes Team delivers this course up to seven times per year. 

The programme for people with type 2 diabetes is called DESMOND orDiabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed and this programme is delivered in the community by specially trained diabetes nurse specialists and dietitians.

Speaking of the achievement Dr Sean Dinneen said, “Through the dedication and commitment of busy healthcare professionals and with the support of senior management in the West / North West Hospitals Group, Galway Primary Community and Continuing Care (PCCC) and NUI Galway we have succeeded in changing the emphasis of our diabetes service from one that was very provider orientated to one that is now very patient centred.

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