Publish date: 13 May 2021
National award for remote diabetes training course
A type 1 diabetes training course has received a national award for its move to online learning.
DAFNE, which stands for Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating, won the Diabetes Education and Self-Management award at the annual professional conference hosted by Diabetes UK.
There were eight awards up for grabs and the DAFNE team submitted an abstract which highlighted the work that the team have undertaken to keep the courses running throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The judges were impressed by how quickly the team implemented the remote training and how they maintained peer support despite the COVID-19 social restrictions.
The DAFNE programme helps people with type 1 diabetes learn how to self-manage by hosting sessions about managing insulin around the carbohydrate content of the food they eat along with exercise, illness, and social activities including drinking alcohol through a blend of online learning, workbook activities and remote group sessions facilitated by DAFNE educators.
Gillian Thompson, National Director of the DAFNE Programme said, “I’m blown away by the commitment of the DAFNE team. Receiving this award is a fantastic endorsement of everything the team has done to ensure that people with type 1 diabetes can access these resources whilst social distancing has been in place.”
“We continue to keep these remote sessions as interactive as possible with participants and educators sharing lived experiences helping them learn from each other.”
Since March 2020 face-to-face DAFNE courses across the UK and Republic of Ireland have been stood down due to the COVID-19 restrictions and since July 2020 over 80 DAFNE services have been delivered remotely. Due to the success of this remote programme, 95% of participants would recommend DAFNE’s remote training to other people with type 1 diabetes.
Gillian continued, “It has been truly humbling to hear the feedback from both the people with type 1 diabetes that have completed the course and the DAFNE educators themselves who have delivered it across the UK and Republic of Ireland. I couldn’t be prouder.”