World Diabetes Day

Beehive Healthcare | Pilates, Swedish Massage and Hypnotherapy | Diabetes Essentials Chester LogoWorld Diabetes Day is the world’s largest diabetes campaign and an official United Nations awareness day. The day was launched in 1991 to keep the focus on diabetes and the associated global health impacts. The theme of World Diabetes Day 2021 will be ‘Access to Diabetes Care’. The UK is fortunate to have access to medications that would be inaccessible in low or middle income countries. However, there remains a UK discrepancy in access to healthy food and safe places to exercise, some monitoring technologies, education and psychological support.

How common is diabetes in England?

  • 4.9 million people have diabetes
  • A further 850,000 people are likely to have diabetes but do not know it yet

 

The key messages guiding the World Diabetes Day 2021 campaign are:

  • Access to insulin (despite the discovery of insulin 100years ago, the global availability is variable).
  • Access to oral medicine
  • Access to self-monitoring
  • Access to education and psychological support
  • Access to healthy food and a safe place to exercise.

 

“Diabetes Essentials” - your local diabetes education service

Access to diabetes self-management education is one of the 15 Healthcare Essentials for people living with Diabetes. (https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/15-healthcare-essentials/are-you-really-getting-your-15-0912.pdf ).

Diabetes Essentials” offers this healthcare essential to people living in Western Cheshire (Chester, Ellesmere Port & the surrounding areas). Separate sessions exist for those living with Type 2 diabetes or Borderline Diabetes. We are currently running socially distanced sessions in Chester and Ellesmere Port, though if you would feel more comfortable in your own home, we do have online sessions for you to join.

Sessions include information on

  • What diabetes is
  • What essential care you should receive from healthcare services
  • Information on how to manage your condition day to day
  • Myths & facts about diabetes
  • Long term complications
  • Supporting organisations and local service

Group sessions offer the opportunity to meet other people with the same condition and also to share experiences of living with diabetes. Diabetes UK recognises that “Supported self-management is the key to successful day-to-day diabetes management.

How can I attend Diabetes Essentials?

If you would like to attend one of the sessions please call Therapy Services on 01244 365 234 or email Diabetes.essentials@nhs.net

This is a self-referral service; you do not need to a healthcare professional to refer you, however they can if you would prefer.

Knowing your risk of Type 2 Diabetes

It is estimated that 850,000 people are living with type 2 diabetes and do not know they have the condition. Given the complications of diabetes, it is important to know if you are at risk or have the condition to help reduce these risks. Being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Diabetes UK, advise that “although millions of people are at high risk of Type 2 diabetes, 80 per cent of these cases can be prevented”

You can calculate your risk score online using the following link.

https://riskscore.diabetes.org.uk/start