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Published
17 December 2025

Celebrating a successful Debunking Diabetes Month

A month-long campaign has been held by the Trust to raise awareness of diabetes prevention, support and self-management.
colleagues at the diabetes roadshow

ELFT used World Diabetes Day 2025 as the springboard for a month of engagement activities including webinars, roadshows and other events.

Chaired by Dr Philip Baker, Medical Director for London Mental Health Services, the session featured Rita Osemwengie, Diabetes Specialist Nurse, providing a clinical overview, and Dr Christopher Garrett, consultant in diabetes psychiatry, discussing diabetes and mental health co-morbidity.

Attendees also heard from the Bangladeshi Health Partnership about challenges, stigma, and practical strategies, from smart nutrition choices to simple movement and monitoring tips.

The webinar included a Q&A with diabetes specialists and sparked a lively discussion. You can watch the session here. 

 

Chaired by Dr Alex Harborne, Clinical Director for Tower Hamlets Community Health Services (CHS), the session began with Mona Reynolds, an ELFT service user, sharing her lived experience with diabetes.

Juliana Dike, Diabetes Specialist Nurse, and Lucy Kwatia, Clinical Lead – District Nursing EPCT North Locality, then discussed their award-shortlisted QI project on diabetes self-management.

Dede-Kossi Osakonor, Psychologist at Newham CHS, shared behaviour change tools to support self-management, followed by Iduna Heinrich, Forensic Mental Health Dietitian, who highlighted small, practical changes for healthier food choices. You can watch the session here.

 

Diabetes Awareness Roadshows  

Throughout the month, we held diabetes awareness roadshows led by Diana Igwe, Diabetes Specialist Nurse Lead for Mental Health Wards.

In total, over 240 people attended, with 200 individuals having their blood glucose levels checked. The average reading was around 5.5 mmol/L, with some higher results recorded (13.7, 9.0, 8.9, 7.9 mmol/L). We also identified cases of gestational diabetes, providing personalised advice and guidance to help these individuals contact their GP and take positive steps towards a healthier lifestyle. 

Debunking Diabetes Blogs  

To mark the month, we created a series of blogs featuring voices from across the healthcare community, including both Foundation Trainee Pharmacists and people living with diabetes. Through their advice and stories, we explore what effective support, self-management, and innovation look like in practice. You can read the blogs on our Debunking Diabetes page here. 

Diabetes is a condition many of us are concerned and want to know more about, whether in terms of our family, friends, ourselves or service users we support.  We brought together this month of activities to share experiences, help break down some of the myths about diabetes risks and importantly give advice to prevent and help people live well with diabetes. Please do take the time to look at our debunking diabetes resources.

- Laura Austin Croft, Director of Population Health at ELFT

You can learn more about the support that ELFT is providing for those at risk of or living with diabetes, as well as carers, friends, and family here.

Do share your feedback at elft.pophealth@nhs.net

Related content

Diabetes

This page contains information for those at risk of or living with diabetes, as well as carers, friends, and family. The information contained here is designed to support people to both prevent and manage their diabetes.

Debunking Diabetes

Diabetes Awareness Day is held annually on 14 November. This year at ELFT, we’re hosting Debunking Diabetes Month to bust myths, highlight key risk factors, and share practical tips to prevent and manage diabetes.