A DIETICIAN from West Hampshire has been selected as a Diabetes UK Clinical Champion to help transform care for people living with diabetes in Southampton and the south east.

Sarah Woodman, service manager and specialist dietitian at West Hampshire Community Diabetes Service, was chosen because of her passion for excellence in diabetes care.

As a clinical champion, Sarah will join a two-year leadership development programme, supported by Diabetes UK. Through her training, she will identify areas in need of improvement and push for changes to improve the care that local people receive.

Sarah said: “The Clinical Champion role will provide me with the opportunity to further develop consistent and high quality services for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in West Hampshire. People with diabetes are able to share their first-hand experiences and offer peer support in a way that health care professionals are unable to. I am also keen to focus on the role of the dietitian in local diabetes services and ensure that people with diabetes are accessing useful, consistent and relevant help at the time it’s needed. My aim is to continue to grow and improve the West Hampshire Community Diabetes Service to ensure that people with diabetes have access to excellent skills and knowledge to help them achieve their health goals and where possible be active participants in their care.”

Sarah is one of 20 UK healthcare professionals, including consultants, nurses, GPs, dietitians, podiatrists and pharmacists, to be appointed as one of the charity’s Clinical Champions this year.

Jill Steaton, Regional Manager for Diabetes UK in the South East said: “Diabetes is the most devastating and fastest growing health crisis of our time, affecting more people than any other serious health condition in the UK. Investing in diabetes care in this way will reduce the devastating complications that can result from poor management of the condition, bringing health and economic benefits.

“Champions like Sarah play a critical role in improving the services people with diabetes receive, and contribute massively to our vision of creating a world where diabetes can do no harm.”

The award-winning Clinical Champions programme was launched by Diabetes UK in 2014, in partnership with Novo Nordisk. There are now 65 champions across the UK.

who have access to a network of like-minded clinicians with who they can share expertise and experience.