Winner
Diabetes Care and Support for University Students
by University of Essex & University Medical Centre (part of the Colte Partnership, Colchester)
Executive Summary
The ADAPT programme for university students with diabetes is a collaboration between NHS primary care, universities, and specialist diabetes care. It focuses on close collaboration between clinical and university services to ensure students experience a coordinated and easily accessible diabetes service on campus. We run monthly diabetes clinics and invite a specialist diabetes team as well as academic staff for pastoral care, a group lunch, and diabetes education in both the clinic and lecture halls. This has raised patient engagement and physical and mental well-being. We have disseminated and expanded the programme internationally and currently expand further in the UK.
Judges’ comments:
“Diabetes care and support for university students’ is an excellent and sustainable initiative targeting patients at a time in their lives when they need extra support and can fall through the gaps between services. The judges liked that the programme focused on both physical and mental health, and that there was a really good awareness of equality issues. The need was clearly identified, the dissemination was great and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. A fantastic programme that should be implemented in every university.”
