Think Diabetes in the Workplace: an initiative to raise awareness of diabetes structured education among employers in South London

Abstract

Abstract The evidence base on the effectiveness of diabetes structured education (SE) programmes in helping people to manage their diabetes is strong. However, despite good levels of referrals for people newly diagnosed with diabetes, attendance at diabetes SE programmes is low. The workplace has been highlighted as a setting within which people with diabetes can be reached and informed about SE and potentially gain access to such programmes.This initiative was aimed at human resources (HR) and occupational health (OH) managers to promote a more flexible approach to improving access to SE for their staff with diabetes.A task and finish group was formed comprising HR and OH representatives from four public sector organisations in south London, patient advocates, diabetes clinicians and the project manager. Several activities were delivered across the organisations which can be grouped into three themes: policy changes, SE delivered in the workplace, and healthy lifestyles awareness‐raising sessions at work.Upon completion, these activities were presented as case studies in an online toolkit along with recommendations for undertaking this initiative in workplaces. Written in the style of a ‘How‐to Guide’, the interactive toolkit is an important resource for employers who want to support their staff with diabetes to attend SE programmes. Copyright © 2021 John Wiley & Sons.