Expression of Interest – Diabetes Educator Scholarship & Credentialling Program

The prevalence of diabetes in Australia is rising, affecting around 1.2 million people in 2014-15 [1]. In New South Wales in 2016, 8.9% of people aged 16+ were told they had diabetes or high blood glucose levels, up from 6.5% in 2002 [2]. In the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECCPHN) region the proportion of the population with type 2 diabetes is 5.5%, with the highest proportions of people with type 2 diabetes in the LGAs of Gwydir (6.5%), Liverpool Plains (6%), and Mid-Coast (5.9%) [3].

Diabetes Educators provide a client-centred approach to diabetes education and care, empower patients and assist them in dealing with daily self-management. HNECCPHN is committed to supporting diabetes management across the region and would like to contribute to increasing the number of Diabetes Educators (DEs) and Credentialled Diabetes Educators (CDEs) working in primary care, across the region. Therefore, we are providing financial support to enable more primary health care clinicians to reach their professional goals in this area.

Scholarship Opportunity

Expressions of interest are now open for the 2019 Primary Care Diabetes Educator Scholarship and Credentialling Support Program. Two options are available to support primary health care professionals, dependent on their individual progress with the credentialling process:

• Diabetes Educator Post Graduate Certificate Scholarship — scholarships of 50 per cent of the course fee (up to a maximum of $6,000), for study of an ADEA accredited post graduate certificate in diabetes education. Study to commence at the first intake in 2019 for your chosen course and to be concluded by the end of 2019.

OR

• Diabetes Educator Credentialling Support — funding of up to $5,000 to support completion of mentoring partnership/practical experience/clinical placement. The support is intended to be flexible depending on the learning goal needs of the applicant in consultation with their ADEA registered mentor. The Diabetes Educator will fulfil the credentialling requirements of ADEA in their final year to become a Credentialled Diabetes Educator. An additional $1,000 funding is available to the applicant’s ADEA registered mentor to support their commitment to the credentialling process, and the time associated to support clinical practice.

Notes

• [1] The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and Diabetes Australia. 2014. General practice management of type 2 diabetes – 2014-15. Melbourne
• [2] NSW Population Health Survey (SAPHaRI). Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health. http://www.healthstats.nsw.gov... Accessed Sep 2017
• [3] National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS). (2017). Diabetes Australia. [Data set]. Retrieved from https://www.ndss.com.au