Diabetes Dietitians Update Day

Following the successes of the Diabetes Alliance Nurse Education Days a joint Diabetes Dietitians Update Day for both primary and tertiary care Dietitians and students was held in November 2022.

55 people attended the day with attendees coming from the Mid-North Coast, Armidale in the New England area, the Hunter region and some Dietitians practicing in primary care from the Central Coast area. Students who recently graduated or in their final years of studying Nutrition and Dietetics degrees also attended.

Dietitians and Clinical Nurse Consultants in diabetes from the Newcastle Community Diabetes Service, and a private Dietitian presented on the latest evidence from latest medications to nutritional management of reactive hypoglycaemia to managing diabetes with people who have eating disorders.

The afternoon consisted of interactive roundtable demonstrations and discussions on Diabetes Management Technology; Emotional Health and Diabetes; The Elderly, Obese but Malnourished Patient; Carbohydrate Counting for Complex Patients and Diabetes Services available in the region.

The PHN would like to thank all the HNE Local Health District staff who presented and those who collaborated with the PHN to deliver a highly interactive and important education event.

Overall, the day was rated 4.8 out of 5 (by 44 of the 55 attendees (80% response rate)).

Selected responses from the evaluation question “What ideas will you take back to your workplace?” included:

“As a 3rd year student the information that was presented and given out today will really help me when I am in the workforce.” (Student)

“Referral pathways to HNE diabetes educators and dietitians. More emphasis on diabetic foot ulcer education with consumers.” (Aged Care Dietitian)

“Updated information on different medications for Diabetes and when to speak with GP’s if concerned with current treatment” (Dietitian)