18
LIVING
DAFNE has moved on!
Here we have an update of DAFNE that addresses our
'brave new world' where NICE recommends hybrid
closed loop systems (HCLs) for T1Ds. By Sue Marshall.
DAFNE is a way of approaching improving
diabetes control using tools such as counting
carbohydrates and learning how insulin works.
The acronym stands for 'dose adjustment for
normal eating' and the courses are both detailed and
supportive, usually undertaken with several people on
each course. Having said that, since Covid-19, how the
courses are presented and accessed has changed.
Bringing DAFNE to the UK (it originated in Germany)
was originally looked at in 2000 with a feasibility
study that was held between three healthcare trusts in
North Tyneside, Sheffield and Kings College Hospital,
London. Today, there are seven people in the team that
currently runs the DAFNE programme which is hosted by
Northumbria Healthcare Trust. There are another four
associates based across the country, each of whom can
train diabetes specialist healthcare professionals how to
deliver DAFNE courses to adults within their service.
Two decades
Speaking to Diabetes UK's flagship publication, Balance,
in 2020 professor Simon Heller said that one of the
unexpected upsides of bringing DAFNE to the UK was
that, over the years, how often people who attended
the courses had never met anyone else who had Type 1
diabetes. He added that DAFNE has helped improve the
consistency of the advice health HCPs give to people
with T1D.
Speaking at the same time on behalf of Diabetes
UK, Simon O'Neill, director of health intelligence and
professional liaison at Diabetes UK, said, "As someone
living with Type 1 diabetes, I was lucky enough to take
part in the original research study for DAFNE 20 years
ago. At the time, I really thought I wouldn't learn very
much, nor would I improve my diabetes control - but how
wrong I was on both counts! The most important thing
for me, after doing the course, was that I felt in control
of my diabetes for the first time since diagnosis. It is
amazing what DAFNE has achieved in the first 20 years of
being available in the UK and Diabetes UK will continue
to push for access to quality, evidence-based education
for all people living with diabetes. We wish DAFNE
continued success."