Latest updates:

1. July Update add 12^th July 17
2. May Update add 16^th May 17
3. March Update added 25^th March 17
4. Contacts amended 3^rd February 17
5. January 2017 Update and 2017 meetings added 10^th January 17
6. Flying with Diabetes added 11^th Mar 16

July 2017 Update

Dear All

1. Do you have a view about foot care in Bristol,   North Somerset or   South Gloucestershire? The Clinical Commissioning Groups are looking for our views and with Diabetes UK are holding six meetings where we can let them know how we would like the services to be shaped. Please see the attached information below and how to apply. It would be good for as many of us as possible to attend the meetings as it's our chance to have a voice in making decisions.
2. Researchers at Bournemouth University would like to recruit adults with Type 1 diabetes to take part in a study piloting a new tool. The tool is designed to help assign the right therapy to people with Type 1 at the right time and with the right support. The researchers would like to identify patient priorities and match them with the best care pathway for each individual. This part of their research is to make sure the tool identifies the right priorities for each person. They need volunteers to complete the online questionnaire AND the survey, which together should take no more than 5-8 minutes.
   • It's important that you complete both the questionnaire and the survey so that your response can be counted. Both can be found here: http://kalmod.frank-digital.co.uk/use-kalmod-tool/

   • For information please contact: Professor Barnard via Kbarnard@bournemouth.ac.uk

3. We have a number of meetings coming up over the next two months.
   • Bristol East is holding a social and for those who enjoy a walk the chance to join a walk on 15th July between 2 and 4 pm at The Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road, Fishponds, BS16 3TR. Afternoon tea will be served.
   • Bristol South's meeting on 24 July 2017 has Stella Picton talking about how to reduce harm. Stella is the Healthy Lifestyles Champion at Knowle West Health Park. She recently appeared on local TV so it will be a chance to meet her in real life. The meeting is at Knowle West Health Park, Downton Road, Knowle BS4 1WH between 6 and 8 pm. Everyone is welcome to come along with a friend or relative for a friendly chat and a cup of tea or coffee.
   • Bristol Central, the drop in for people with Type 1 diabetes, meets on 25th July. Rachel Anthwal, who leads the work to develop improved diabetes services in Bristol, N Somerset and S Gloucestershire is coming to hear our views about what we would like to see. We are trying a new venue as although the Bristol Hotel is very pleasant it is quite expensive and can be busy. We thought we would try Brewers’ Fayre, the Premier Inn restaurant which is on the corner of Lower Maudlin Street and Lewins Mead. It is close to the bus station. Please join us for a drink and a chat anytime between 5.45 and 8pm.
   • Bristol West has invited Dr Liz Dymond to talk about the Diabetes Digital Coach which will be launched in September. The meeting is on 24th August starting at 2pm. Please note we have a new venue, Eastfield Inn, 219 Henleaze Road, BS9 4NQ. Friends and family are all welcome. We will not be in the space that we were in last time!

Our annual calendar is published on our website, www.diabetesbristol.org.uk.

If there are any topics you would like to hear about or any other ideas then please contact us. Volunteers are also very welcome! Also if you would prefer not to receive these updates, then please let me know.

If we don’t see you, have a pleasant summer.

With best wishes

Sandra Tweddell
Bristol Diabetes Support Network

May 2017 Update

Dear All

I hope everything is going well. Nationally, diabetes has a high profile with the NHS and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Diabetes was about to publish its report into the Future of Diabetes Inpatient Care. As the group has been dissolved until after the election, I suspect the report will not be published. If you would like to read about the last meeting, one link is
http://diabetestimes.co.uk/appg-diabetes-discusses-inpatient-care/

We have a number of meetings coming up in May.

Bristol South's meeting on 22 May 2017 is about the support that carers can receive. Holly Green will let people know what is available and answer questions. The meeting is at Knowle West Health Park, Downton Road, Knowle BS4 1WH between 6 and 8 pm. Everyone is welcome to come along with a friend or relative for a friendly chat and a cup of tea or coffee.

Bristol West has invited Dr Clare England to talk about how you can be involved in research on 18th May starting at 2pm. Please note we have a new venue, Eastfield Inn, 219 Henleaze Road, BS9 4NQ. Friends and family are all welcome.

Bristol Central, the drop in for people with Type 1 diabetes, meets at the Bristol Hotel on Prince Street on 30 May. We shall be discussing the Future Of Diabetes, as part of Diabetes UK's Big Conversation. Please join us for a drink and a chat anytime between 5.45 and 8pm.

Our annual calendar is published on our website, www.diabetesbristol.org.uk.

If there are any topics you would like to hear about or any other ideas then please contact us. Volunteers are also very welcome! Also if you would prefer not to receive these updates, then please let me know.

With best wishes

Sandra Tweddell
Bristol Diabetes Support Network

March 2017 Update

Dear All

I hope everything is going well. There is a great deal of activity going on locally to review diabetes care in Bristol as diabetes has been identified as a key area in the Sustainability and Transformation Plans. If you are interested and want to have your say on the plan then please visit this link.

https://www.bristolccg.nhs.uk/about-us/sustainability-and-transformation-plan/

Also, the Diabetes Digital Coach is being rolled out later this year. If you are interested, here is the link. www.diabetesdigitalcoach.org. You are also invited to come to the meeting below. As numbers are limited, could you let me know either by email st@diabetesbristol.org.uk or leave a message on 01179 309986.

We’d like to invite you to a special focus group taking place in central Bristol on Thursday 6 April from 2:30-4pm at the St James Priory (behind Bristol Bus Station). Members of the Diabetes Digital Coach project team will talk show their plans and talk through how the new digital service will work. We’d love to see you there and find out what you think and how we might make the Coach even better. If you’ve got any queries, please email vanesther.rees@weahsn.net.

The Diabetes Digital Coach is an NHS 'test bed' project, funded by the Department of Health and coordinated by the West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN).

We have a number of meetings coming up over the next couple of months.

Bristol East is hearing from Sally Robinson about aids to help those who are partially sighted on Saturday 22 April at 2 pm at the Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road, Fishponds. BS16 3TR. It will be an informal event and everyone is welcome to come along.

Bristol South is holding a drop in on 27th March at Knowle West Health Park, Downton Road, Knowle BS4 1WH between 3.15 and 5 pm. Everyone is welcome to come along with a friend or relative for a friendly chat and a cup of tea or coffee.

Dundry View drop in is on 17 March between 10 and 11.15 am. Please join us for a drink and a chat at Hartcliffe Nursery School and Children’s Centre, 4 Hareclive Rd, Hartcliffe, Bristol, BS13 0JW.

Bristol Central, the drop in for people with Type 1 diabetes, meets at the Bristol Hotel on Prince Street on 28 March. Please join us for a drink and a chat anytime between 5.45 and 8pm.

Bristol West has invited Dr Clare England to talk about how you can be involved in research on 18th May starting at 2pm. Please note we have a new venue, Eastfield Inn, 219 Henleaze Road, BS9 4NQ.

Our annual calendar is published on our website, www.diabetesbristol.org.uk.

If there are any topics you would like to hear about or any other ideas then please contact us. Volunteers are also very welcome! Also if you would prefer not to receive these updates, then please let me know.

With best wishes

Sandra Tweddell

Bristol Diabetes Support Network

January 2017 Update

Dear All

A Happy New Year!

See the 2017 Bristol Diabetes Support Network meetings for this years annual calendar.

In November 2016 The All Party Parliamentary group for Diabetes published its report Levelling Up which looks at inequalities in diabetes care across the country. You can download it on;

www.diabetesappg.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/appg-for-diabetes-report.pdf

We have a number of meetings coming up over the next couple of months.

Meetings

Bristol East is holding a social event with its AGM on Saturday 21st January at 2 pm at the Beechwood Club, Beechwood Road, Fishponds. It will be an informal event and everyone is welcome to come along.

Bristol South meets on 30th January at Knowle West Health Park, Downton Road, Knowle between 4 and 5 pm. The South is trying out a new approach this year with a mixture of drop ins and meetings. The times will differ to take account of dark evenings. On 30 January, 27 March and 30 October, the drop ins will be held between 4 and 5 pm. On 26 June and 25 September they will be held between 7 and 8 pm. The meeting in February will be held between 3 and 5pm. We will confirm the speaker nearer the time.

Dundry View drop in is on 16 January between 10 and 11.15 am. Please join us for a drink and a chat at Hartcliffe Nursery School and Children’s Centre, 4 Hareclive Rd, Hartcliffe, Bristol, BS13 0JW.

Bristol Central, the drop in for people with Type 1 diabetes, meets at the Bristol Hotel on Prince Street on 31st January. Please join us for a drink and a chat anytime between 5.45 and 8pm. Elizabeth Rowley from Type 1 International is planning to join us to talk about her work in increasing access to insulin and diabetes supplies around the world.

Bristol West has invited Dr Angeliki Papadaki to talk about her work with the Mediterranean Diet on 23rd February at the Westbury Primary Practice on Westbury Hill starting at 2pm. Angeliki has been a popular speaker with other groups.

If there are any topics you would like to hear about or any other ideas then please contact us. Volunteers are also very welcome! Also if you would prefer not to receive these updates, then please let me know.

With best wishes

Sandra Tweddell

Bristol Diabetes Support Network

Flying with Diabetes

Here are the results of a survey into flying with diabetes. Makes for interesting reading.

flying with diabetes

#GBDOC

Is a UK online community for people run by people with diabetes for people with diabetes and their parents, carers, partners, friends, employer or family member.

On line tweet chats take place each Wednesday at 9 pm.

For more details see: gbdoc.co.uk

Type 1 Diabetes Blogger in Bristol

The large majority of diabetics have the more common Type 2 diabetes, this is a condition where insulin production slowly declines &/or insulin resistance slowly increases. In Type 1 diabetes insulin production declines to nothing very quickly indeed.

Twenty years after diagnosis, below is a blog from a family coping with Type 1 diabetes. The Bristol support group do give our thanks to Mike, Jane, Beth and Ellen for sharing this.

Living with diabetes - every day ups and downs. A collection of thoughts, observations, comments and questions from a family sharing there thoughts on living with type 1 Diabetes in the UK.