_{13 Sept 2012}

Help formulate best practice guidelines for university students

A new study on university students with diabetes is taking place.  The study is being led by Dr Khin Swe Myint, funded by Diabetes UK and run by the diabetes specialist teams at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich Medical School and UEA university medical centre.

The main objectives of the study are: 

1. To describe the current model(s) of care for school leavers with type 1 diabetes attending all UK universities - emphasis on care coordination and access to services.
   
2. To identify obstacles to good glycaemic control: clinical/lifestyle/support/communication.
   
3. To capture the views of patients with type 1 diabetes at UK universities, and of the health care professionals involved in student diabetes care in university medical services and the secondary care diabetes teams linked to those universities.
   

Potential benefit to people with diabetes

The study will provide a national review of diabetes services at UK universities.  Then best existing practices can be disseminated and new ways of tackling problems can be explored.

What participation will involve

Year 1 (from September 2012) the study team will be asking diabetes healthcare teams within UK university GP/medical practices and nearby hospitals to complete a 20 minute questionnaire on the services that they provide for university students with type 1 diabetes.

Year 2 (from September 2013) the study team will be asking diabetes health care teams within UK university GP/medical practices and nearby hospitals to send out questionnaires to university students aged 18-24 on their lists who have type 1 diabetes. We estimate this process will take around 30 minutes. All questionnaires, envelopes and postage will be supplied by the research team and completed questionnaires will be returned directly to the research team.

From the patients that return questionnaires a small subset will be invited to take part in a qualitative interview by the study team. The interviews will be held either by telephone or face to face at premises to be arranged by the study team – the sites will not be involved in this.

The study is eligible for the NIHR CRN Portfolio. UKCRN ID: 12790 (DRN 727).

How you can help

The study team are applying for local R&D/NHS permission across the UK and are seeking local university GP practice and hospital collaborators to act as their local contact for the study. 

• Please circulate this information to your colleagues.
  
• Please contact the study team if your site would be willing to be involved in the study.
  
• Please give the name and contact details of the person at your site who would be willing to be the study teams local collaborator/contact.
  

Contact details

Joanne Kellett, Diabetes Research Associate (Study Co-ordinator), joanne.kellett@nnuh.nhs.uk

Dr Khin Swe Myint, Consultant Diabetologist (Chief Investigator), khinswe.myint@nnuh.nhs.uk