X-Pert Insulin programme launches in UK to help Type 2 diabetes suffers on insulin to improve their own management of their condition and potentially to save the NHS millions.

PRESS DISPENSARY - Wednesday, Jan 20, 2010 - 'X-PERT Insulin', an extension of the 'X-PERT Diabetes' programme (http://www.xperthealth.org.uk ) which has helped almost 50,000 diabetes sufferers to self-manage their condition and is saving the beleaguered NHS millions of pounds, is launching on Friday January 22, 2010, at the Royal Institute of Great Britain, London. The event will be chaired by the Rt. Hon. Lord Shutt OBE and the keynote speaker is Simon O'Neill, director of care, information and advocacy, Diabetes UK.

X-PERT Insulin is to be a new national education programme for people with Type 2 diabetes who require insulin. It will be, at launch, the only programme of its type in the country.

Launched in 2005 by Dr Trudi Deakin, a long-standing diabetes expert, the existing X-PERT Diabetes programme has a five year track record as an affordable and award-winning, national self-management education tool for people with diabetes - a condition that affects 2.6 million people in the UK and is diagnosed in an additional person every three minutes. The X-PERT programme consists of six weekly sessions that adopt visual aids, board games, activities and supermarket visits to explain the nature of the condition so attendees are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to take charge of it themselves. The scheme conveys a powerful message to Messrs Brown, Cameron and Clegg on how to conserve NHS funds, save lives and empower the patient to improve their quality of life while reducing the strain on medical professionals.

X-PERT Diabetes meets government guidance and is delivered free of charge throughout the NHS in the UK and Ireland, with 900 professionals currently involved in the programme. The latest audit of over 9,000 patients with diabetes has proven that the programme brings about a massive positive impact on their health and wellbeing. The achievements of X-PERT Diabetes will be augmented by the X-PERT Insulin scheme, which is designed to educate the 20% of Type 2 diabetes sufferers - 500,000 people - who require insulin injections in how to manage their Type 2 diabetes and, in turn, rely on medical intervention less often.

Dr Trudi Deakin, national director and innovator for the X-PERT diabetes education programme, says: "Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high because the body can't use it properly. Since 1996, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes has increased from 1.4 million to 2.6 million. By 2025, it is estimated that over four million people will have diabetes. We've seen a 74% rise in new cases in just six years and 97% of these are Type 2 diabetes where the main causes are obesity and unhealthy lifestyles, which sadly are on the rise in the UK. These figures are alarming and confirm that diabetes is one of the biggest health challenges facing the nation today."

Trudi adds: "The treatment for Type 2 diabetes is usually lifestyle change: however, medication may also be required. It concerns us that people with Type 2 diabetes who require insulin currently don't receive the targeted care needed to take control of their condition. Diabetes itself never killed everybody directly but inadequate management greatly increases the risk of life-threatening complications occurring. Good diabetes management can reduce the risk of complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, nerve damage and amputations leading to disability and premature mortality. Conversely, if not managed well, the complications arising from diabetes create a substantial financial burden for the NHS, as well as compromising the quality and life expectancy of patients.

She concludes: "Diabetes already consumes 10% of the NHS budget - currently GBP 9 billion a year. This accounts for GBP 173 million a week, GBP 25 million a day, GBP 1 million an hour, GBP 17,000 a minute or GBP 286 a second. These aren't figures to be ignored and the costs are expected to rise by more than 50% by 2025 unless better self-management of the condition is extended widely. The X-PERT programmes have the potential to turn things around and make a big dent in these figures."

More information about X-PERT Insulin can be gained at the national launch on Friday 22 January at the Royal Institute of Great Britain, 21 Albermarle Street, London W1S 4BS, from 10am until 3pm.

RSVP to events@xperthealth.org.uk or call Dr Trudi Deakin on 07921 507 003. Press packs will be available on the day.

Notes for editors

X-PERT Health CIC, a not-for-profit social enterprise based in Burnley, Lancashire, was launched in July 2008 by Dr Trudi Deakin who previously worked for the NHS as the clinical champion for Diabetes in East Lancashire. Trudi developed and launched the X-PERT Programme, which gives people with diabetes the knowledge, skills and confidence to self-manage their condition. The education programme has won six national and one European award including the Secretary of State for Health's prize for 'Excellence in Healthcare Management'. The X-PERT Programme is now being delivered by 900 NHS healthcare professionals throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland.

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