Who we are and what we do

The Diabetes Team was set up in April 2020 and is hosted by Wakefield CCG - as part of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership. We coordinate partnership efforts to deliver the diabetes element of the NHS long-term plan and identify the greatest opportunities to work together in delivering diabetes care.

The main areas we focus on include:  

  • identifying everyone in West Yorkshire and Harrogate who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes
  • increasing uptake of the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP) targeting the people most likely to benefit
  • signposting people to services for support, guidance or intervention
  • making sure people who attend the programme receive support to change their lifestyle in a friendly and supportive group environment. Reed Wellbeing was appointed by NHS England as commissioner to deliver the programme in our area. Sessions are facilitated by specialist coaches trained in behaviour change and diabetes prevention and recruited from the local community
  • supporting our partners in implementing the NHS Treatment and Care Programme. This covers: improving access to structured education; supporting general practice to improve patient blood pressure, Hba1C levels and cholesterol levels; making sure that if patients living with diabetes need hospitalization, that in-patient specialist nurse services are available - as well as access to multi-disciplinary foot care teams
  • working jointly with other health and care partnership programmes to improve patient care and experience. Examples include: The Children and Young People’s programme around transition and the Local Maternity Service to implement the new NICE Guidance so that women, who are pregnant and have type 1 diabetes can access continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)

There is strong international evidence which demonstrates how behavioural interventions which support people to maintain a healthy weight and be more active can significantly reduce the risk of developing the condition. The NDPP is a free national programme where those identified as high risk can access a specialist change behaviour programme.

The work is branded to the partnership while reflecting the local place activities and services such as Living Well in Bradford and One You in Leeds, as well as the work of the national and regional programmes from NHS England  and Diabetes UK. It also includes the prevention work of Reed Wellbeing.