With “integration” very much the buzz word when it comes to the future of healthcare, a diabetes expert from Yeovil Hospital is leading the way in Somerset, gaining an award recognising his on-going work for patients with diabetes across the county.
Dr Alex Bickerton joined the Trust in 2007 with the ambition of improving the quality of life of diabetes sufferers, and was selected as a “Diabetes UK Clinical Champion” in 2015. This set the way for the latest accolade in which Diabetes UK names Dr Bickerton as the winner of the Campaigning and Influencing Inspire Award.
The Diabetes UK award celebrates the work Dr Bickerton has done to bring Yeovil Hospital, Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, the community hospitals under the Somerset Partnership, Somerset CCG and Primary Care together to form a well linked-up service and ensure patients and clinical staff have all the information they need, when they need it, to give the best possible results to help them to live their lives able to control their diabetes.
Dr Bickerton said: “I’m extremely flattered to receive this award, as well as being very excited about the evolving service that is already changing the future for our patients with diabetes.
“The service has been evolving and we are now working much more collaboratively with colleagues in other Trusts as well as the community which means consistent care for our patients throughout Somerset, as well as the launch of an online self-management tool with a whole host of resources specifically targeted to each individual as they log on, as well as the patient’s blood results.”
In the year the NHS turns 70, it is clear that with more patients than ever being diagnosed with diabetes there are exciting times ahead in this field.
Dr Bickerton added: “The My Diabetes, My Way platform is continuing to evolve with plans to include notifications and reminders for patients and clinical staff as well as the opportunity to link with popular wearable devices to get a full picture of a person’s lifestyle and how small changes can really make a difference for them. Giving patients all the information they need to manage their condition and reduce the number of medical appointments they need gives individual’s their life back.”
Categorised in: Trust news and events
This post was written by Communications Team
Comments are closed here.