Education and training

Education and training are a central focus of our Institute. We are committed to supporting our staff and students and providing them with the knowledge and skills they need to provide the best possible care for patients and the communities we serve.

We have developed innovative online education and some training offers are available across the globe. This includes educational resources tailored to students learning needs.

Highlights in this area include:

• MSc modules in Diabetic Foot and Surgical management of obesity.
• Postgraduate Certificate modules in Diabetes and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
• Running a webinar series and cross-sector shared learning focused on a range of topics including type 1 diabetes technology, diabetic foot, metabolic complications, eating disorders, and research updates for healthcare professionals in acute, community and primary care. Initially to be made available to healthcare professionals in south east London, with plans to extend to a pan-London audience and beyond.

• MSc Diabetes: Clinical Care and Management, a three-year part-time online programme for health professionals. The programme aims to equip students with critically developed advanced practice skills for diabetes clinical care and management; develop students into independent learners who are able to identify and synthesise clinical problems and issues at both the individual and care system levels; provide an educational framework to enable students to acquire and demonstrate generic transferable competencies in formulating diabetes management plans. The programme will start in September 2022.

We also focus on developing and delivering educational courses for patients. For example:

• The Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles for Diabetes (HEAL-D), is a culturally tailored diabetes self-management education and support programme for African and Caribbean communities. Using co-design methods, the programme involves working closely with people living with type 2 diabetes from these communities, healthcare professionals and community leaders.
• DAFNE (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating) and DESMOND (Diabetes Education and Self-Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed), educational courses which provide essential information and guidance for healthcare staff on managing type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
• Since 2015, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust has been running a highly commended Youth Empowerment Skills (YES) programme across south London. Originally a pilot, the programme is co-designed and co-delivered by young people and focuses on all aspects of life as a young person, not just their diabetes. The programme also touches on topics such as drugs, alcohol, and sexual health, as well as supporting social connectivity and skills development.

Our plans

Over the coming years we will continue to support our workforce through a range of formal and informal educational initiatives. This extends to our partners across the south east London system, and nationally and internationally. We will provide our workforce with access to a flexible and diverse range of educational opportunities which will be delivered online, across teams and through formal and informal courses.

We will continue to have a strong emphasis on identifying and nurturing emerging academic talent within our partnership, through a range of lectureships, fellowships and other academic pathways, as well as developing innovative patient education, training and resources to support and empower people living with diabetes and obesity.

Visit our Learning Hub for our free courses to help staff work with patients to prevent and manage diabetes.

Read our latest news and learn more about upcoming events.

To get in touch with the Institute and learn more about our work, please email IDEO@kcl.ac.uk.