On World Diabetes Day 2020 we are celebrating the role of the nurse in diabetes care.
Diabetes remains a huge and ever-increasing challenge in Europe. We need integrated care for better health services for European citizens. Diabetes needs to be higher up on the political agenda and diabetes nurses deserve greater recognition in Europe.
We believe that a holistic approach to care will benefit both health workers & people living with diabetes. This requires a greater focus on disease risk reduction approaches, management & follow-up, including mental health services.
Read more about IDF Europe’s position by downloading this press release.
In a year that has been dominated by a global public health crisis, we want to celebrate the role of the nurses, and more specifically the essential role they play for people living with diabetes and their families.
IDF Europe organized its first virtual symposium hosted by MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen and MEP Christel Schaldemose. The first session consisted of a case study on the situation of diabetes nurses in Germany, presented by Dr. Gottlobe Fabisch, Director, Verband der Diabetes-Beratungs- und Schulungsberufe in Deutschland e.V. (VDBD). The second session, chaired by Ms. Anne-Marie Felton, President, Foundation of European Nurses in Diabetes (FEND) and Professor Nebojsa Lalic, Vice-Chair of IDF Europe presented the highlights of the FEND survey on The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Diabetes Specialist Nurses in Europe and of the IDF Europe Survey on the impact of COVID-19 on people with diabetes. Results of the surveys were shared by Dr. Rita Rita Forde, FEND Research Fellow, King’s College London, and Ms. Sabine Dupont, IDF Europe Senior Consultant, Policy and Projects.
The re-establishment of the MEP Interest Group on Diabetes, MEPs Mobilising for Diabetes (MMD), was also announced. It will be launched officially in January on the first day of the Centenary of Insulin campaign.
The symposium ended with a call to ensure adequate training and funding for nurses, uninterrupted access to diabetes care, medicines, and support. Watch the recording below!
