Reports

More than €2.3m (£1.96m) of European funding has been secured by a cross border partnership to develop a cross-European approach to tackling Type 2 diabetes.

Called DWELL (Diabetes and WELLbeing) this latest initiative involves eight partners from the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. The programme will enable 1000 patients in these countries with Type 2 diabetes to access tailored support, empowering them to self-manage their condition and improve their wellbeing.

A 12-week patient support programme of ‘pick and mix’ options and a training package for staff to deliver the programme in the years ahead will be designed by, and implemented in, all four countries represented in the partnership. First trials are anticipated in autumn 2017. The project is strongly focused on people who have Type 2 diabetes as individuals. Both staff training and patient support programmes will be designed to have a strong coproduced element with patient and public involvement.

As a result of improving patients’ long-term health and well-being, it is estimated that the project will see a 30% per person reduction to state funded health services per year - anticipated at €1.25m (£1.09m) per 1000 patients per year.

Professor Eleni Hatzidimitriadou from the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Social Care at Canterbury Christ Church is leading the evaluation study of this innovative programme. The evaluation study will enable a comprehensive assessment of all project aspects including outcomes and impact for patients, professionals and services in all project sites in four key areas: staff training; patient outcomes; cost benefits and programme process.

The DWELL project was approved and funded by the EU Interreg 2 Seas Programme 2014-2020 (co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in a pause in of the 12-week programme, the project will now finish in March 2023.

A list of approved INTERREG projects can be found at www.interreg2seas.eu/en/listing-approved-project

DWELL Project final conference

The DWELL Project final conference took place on 13 October 2022. You can download the DWELL Final Conference Slides to find out more.

You can also download the event flyer.

The project will deliver:

A cross-border training programme, which will benefit staff and patients
A 12-week programme to support patients in their life-style changes
A patient-led support network that will provide patient benefit after the project ends
An evaluation process to benefit future staff and patients

Canterbury Christ Church University will be working with:

Observer partners:

Diabetes UK
NHS West Kent
GGD West-Brabant
Stichting Care Innovation Centre West-Brabant
Diabetes Liga vzw
Avans University of Applied Sciences
Utrecht University of Applied Sciences