NEWS: The Leicester Diabetes Centre 12 days of Christmas 2021

Professor Melanie Davies CBE and Professor Kamlesh Khunti share their christmas message for 2021 with us:

As 2021 draws to a close and we look ahead to the holiday season with our family and loved ones, we wanted to take the opportunity to reflect on the past year and share our best wishes to you all.

The coronavirus pandemic continues to challenge us nationally and internationally. Despite this, our function and output have stayed at an exceptionally high standard, whilst we adapt to change and continue to deliver within our teams at the Leicester Diabetes Centre.

Our responsive work to Covid-19 and ethnic minority programmes has led to us winning both awards and accolades across all of our teams. We have also had several new research projects implemented, with record patients recruited. This, we are sure, will impact local NHS policies, Department of Health programmes and NICE guidance.

We have welcomed a collection of new people to our team including Aarti Parmar, NIHR Leicester BRC Manager, as well as seeing the retirement of some of our long-standing colleagues: Jacqui Troughton, Marta Barbieri, Lesley Meakin, Liz Cooper and Fiona Brant. We also said farewell to Tim Skelton as he moved into his new role, Chief Operating Officer for R&I.

Sadly, this year we have had the passing of one of our team members, Pamela Campbell-Morris. Pamela was a dedicated champion for community health and an inspiration to everyone who knew her. Our thoughts and prayers are with Pamela’s family and are extended to those of you who have lost family and loved ones this past year.

2021 has seen an increase in the appreciation and awareness of the important work that we carry out at the Leicester Diabetes Centre. We continue to be overwhelmed with how robust and responsive all our teams are, and proud of the consistent ability to produce exceptional work, whilst supporting one another.

As we head towards the holiday season, we both send our very best wishes for a relaxing and restful period to recharge and reflect on what has been another extraordinary year.

The team at the Leicester Diabetes Centre is exceptional and we are both proud to be part of such an amazing team.

Professor Melanie Davies CBE and Professor Kamlesh Khunti