EVENT: The ‘Royal Rumble’ low-down
Diabetes is a global epidemic that transcends national boundaries and that demands collective international research and innovation
Four leading professors from the University of Leicester joined the diaTribe Foundation’s seventh annual “Solvable Problems in Diabetes” on the 22nd September, to discuss the most urgent problems and opportunities facing diabetes today.
The Powerhouse of a panel, dubbed the ‘Royal Rumble’ included:
Professor Pratik Choudhary
Professor of Diabetes at the University of Leicester and member of the EASD postgraduate education committee. Recently joined after 15 years at King’s College London.
Follow Pratik on Twitter: @drpratikc
Professor Melanie Davies CBE
Professor of Diabetes Medicine at the University of Leicester and an Honorary Consultant Diabetologist at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. Co-Director of the Leicester Diabetes Centre, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.
Follow Melanie on Twitter: @profmjdavies
Professor Kamlesh Khunti
Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester, Director of NIHR ARC East Midlands. Co-Director, the Leicester Diabetes Centre, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.
Follow Kamlesh on Twitter: @kamleshkhunti
Partha Kar
National Specialty Advisor for Diabetes at NHS England and a co-lead of Diabetes GIRFT with NHS Improvement. Partha has been a Consultant in Diabetes & Endocrinology at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust since 2008. Honorary Professor, University of Leicester
Follow Kamlesh on Twitter: @parthaskar
Kelly Close, founder of the diaTribe Foundation moderated the session.
Together, the panel have published over 1,500 peer review publications and their work involves bridging technologies and data with real world results.
Professor Melanie Davies CBE commented on the ‘Royal Rumble’, saying:
“Particular thanks to Kelly and her team for giving us the opportunity to bring our work to an international audience. Loved the networking opportunity at the end, including chatting to Mary from Dakota, amongst others.”
During the 90 minute session, the professors commented on recent data(1) published in the UK relating to COVID-19 and diabetes, which showed a clear link early in the pandemic to patients with type 2 diabetes; 30% of COVID-19 deaths also had type 2 diabetes.
The team went on to discuss how integrating clinical information systems with secondary and primary care for type 1 template in clinic would be beneficial. As well as continuing to use video clinics to engage with patients, the Leicester Diabetes Centre has supported virtual technology from the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, ensuring that patient care is easily accessible, even supporting patients with the start of delivering insulin and CGM during these sessions.
The following key factors were drawn out as being important to Leicester’s delivery of high-quality care:
Primary and secondary specialist care working together
Knowing what the strengths are within the teams
Hospitals working together to develop pathways, to be able to respond and know where each patient should be managed, and to have this all thought out as a group in Leicester
The opportunity to be able to work in primary care clinics and listen to people living with diabetes – this helps frame the research
Developing information in collaboration with the BME centre, communicating how research integrates into clinics
Learning from each other and especially from our patients
Integrating all departments: Patient and healthcare professional education, physical activity, dietitians, psychology and clinical team
The evening included a question and answer session, as well as the opportunity to post comments during the event. One of the delegates shared:
“I am a patient of the Leicester Diabetes Centre and really pleased to be so. The team on the ground are great, particularly the insulin pump and Libre team.”
Professor Kamlesh Khunti commented on the event:
“It was a pleasure sharing the stage with good friends who are globally the best at what they do.”
It was a "great opportunity of interaction and discussing issues relevant to patient care, not to mention the privilege of sharing the stage with three of the greatest diabetologists who have ever existed, my heroes and inspiration", agreed Professor Partha Kar
(1) NHS England data published 27th May 2020
Find out more about the diaTribe Foundation here
Find out more about the Leicester Diabetes Centre here