Tops in 2012!

At the start of a new year, it’s traditional to look back on the highs and lows of the last one. In our case, we don’t really do ‘lows’ but prefer to concentrate on successes, as this has a much better track record when it comes to positive mental health. But enough of our philosophy, (which is covered in detail on our website if you’d like to know more) and here we go with some of the highlights from the last year, many of which we covered in this blog.

They get our votes because they really focussed on the people side of health and wellbeing and are consistent with all that we promote here at SD

So imagine a drum roll and let’s hear it for the following!

• The Health Foundation – released a series of practical reports and reviews in relation to making a reality of person centred consultations, helping people make decisions, collaborative healthcare and supporting self care. Absolutely vital stuff to help the new, personalised NHS achieve its objectives

• Diabetes UK – kept up a relentless focus on the basic checks people with diabetes need to have, from blood pressure to foot examinations – and reminded the world at every opportunity how these were not universally offered or taken up, despite them being ‘must do’s

• The Irish Health Service – made rolling out pump therapy for the under 5s a priority in its health budget for 2013

• The National Diabetes Audit for England and Wales for including statistics about the poor offering and uptake of diabetes structured education and giving campaigners the opportunity to wave these statistics and press for change

• Diabetes Australia – for publishing a wonderful document about awareness of language in relation to diabetes. Just creeping in from December 2011, but we’re guessing it was 2012 before anyone read it and it remains one of our favourites!

• Last but not least – anyone living or working with diabetes who has reflected on their approach, made changes or generally tried to make their diabetes or the environment in which they work a better experience during the year. As we never tire of quoting, from a dear friend with diabetes “diabetes is a marathon not a sprint; I need help to stay in the race”. Every bit of help along the way matters equally every year.

Hoping to see much more great work like this in 2013 and wishing all our readers a very happy and healthy – and Successful - new year!

Reference
www.successfuldiabetes.com