People with Type 2 diabetes encouraged to educate themselves

23rd February 2018

With around 7,500 people living with diabetes in Southport and Formby, Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust’s diabetes team is calling on people to educate themselves on how to best manage their condition.

People with diabetes in the area are eligible to attend free education programmes designed to help them do this. Lancashire Care provides two programmes, “Diabetes and You” for people who have been newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and “Diabetes and More” for people who have been living with the condition for more than a year.

Lucy Haworth, Dietetic & Diabetes Education Team Lead at Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“There is a staggering number of people living with diabetes and the numbers are estimated to increase. In the UK alone there are some 3.5 million people diagnosed with the condition and a further 1.1 million who have the condition but do not know it. Ensuring that members of the public living with diabetes know how to successfully manage their condition is our priority and attending our sessions empowers people to be in control of their diabetes.

“These sessions not only teach you how to manage diabetes but they’re also great ways of meeting people and getting moral support as you quickly learn you’re not alone. It’s important that anyone living with the condition knows there is free and helpful education out there.”

The sessions are informal, friendly and last approximately two hours with short breaks. They are held in a variety of locations across Southport and Formby with timings throughout the day, evenings and weekends. To find out more, speak to your GP, practice nurse or health care professional and request a referral. Alternatively, contact the Diabetes Education Team on 01704 387271 or email lcn-tr.diabeteseducation@nhs.net. For general advice on any form of diabetes, call the Diabetes UK Helpline on 0345 123 2399 or visit www.diabetes.org.uk.