The aim of patient education is for people with diabetes to improve their knowledge, skills and confidence, enabling them to take increasing control of their own condition and integrate effective self-management into their daily lives. High-quality structured education can have a profound effect on health outcomes and can significantly improve quality of life.

For self-management strategies to be effective, people with diabetes require a sense of ownership of the management of their disease. This can be fostered through the timely provision of information and advice that acknowledges and accounts for their individual circumstances (eg, disease duration and prior experience of diabetes management).

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that well-designed and well-implemented diabetes education programmes are likely to be cost-effective for people with diabetes and should be offered to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review.

Type 1 Diabetes Education Courses

If you have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, the courses below can help you live as normally as possible, and keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy range to avoid future diabetes problems.

When you join these courses, you’ll likely feel more sure about handling your diabetes, picking better foods, taking care of yourself, and meeting others with diabetes.

• The Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating (DAFNE) Programme – this is offered by Nottingham University Hospitals.
• Kings Mill’s Adjustment For Eating Normally (KAREN) Programme – this is offered by Sherwood Forest Hospitals.
• Introductory course to Understanding Type 1 – by MyType1Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes Education Courses

• Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed (DESMOND) – if you live in the City boundary please visit Nottingham CityCare’s DESMOND page. If you live in the County boundary please visit the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s DESMOND page.
• Healthy Living – free online NHS service. Please visit Healthy Living for people with type 2 diabetes.
• My DESMOND – nationally available Digital DESMOND programme. Please visit MyDesmond’s official page
• Expert Education versus Routine Treatment (X-PERT) – This is offered in Bassetlaw. Please visit X-pert Health’s Official site.