The golden phrase for countering non-communicable disease (NCD) is that we need a “whole of government and whole of society approach.” An important step on that path is obviously for all parties to talk together, and that’s why the International Diabetes Federation for the first time started its biannual conference with a “global diabetes forum,” with the title of “Harnessing the private sector expertise.” How did it go? more…

In the UK, we usually do it in groups – that is teaching patients with diabetes and other chronic disease how to self manage their condition. For example, a group approach is now used commonly for teaching patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, for those moving from oral hypoglycemic agents to insulin or when individuals need to start insulin pump therapy. One of the attractions of group teaching is that it is more cost effective for healthcare providers compared to a one on one approach.  more…

“Research highlights” is a weekly round-up of research papers appearing in the print BMJ. We start off with this week’s research questions, before providing more detail on some individual research papers and accompanying articles.

• Is ethnicity related to academic performance in doctors and medical students trained in the UK?
• Does weekly ultrasound treatment improve hard to heal venous ulcers?
• Has the survival of patients with cystic fibrosis who have low lung function improved over the past 20 years?
• Do older residents in care homes receive poorer quality care for chronic diseases than residents living in the community?
• How much published research on primary care is authored by primary care researchers, and how good is it?
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I spent two days last week in the seductive grandeur of Trinity College, Oxford, fretting about the global pandemic of chronic disease, but I left feeling optimistic—despite the pandemic raging as fiercely as ever. more…