AN INDEPENDENT health organisation in Dorset is in the running for a prestigious national award for its work helping to raise awareness among young people about living with type one diabetes.

Healthwatch Dorset has been nominated in the ‘celebrating our volunteer team’ in the national Healthwatch Awards 2020.

The annual event – run by Healthwatch England – is taking place virtually this year due to the coronavirus pandemic – celebrates the difference Healthwatch’s 4,400 staff and volunteers have made over the past year.

Healthwatch Dorset is one of only 30 local organisations out of 152 nationally to have made it into the running for one of the awards.

The nomination recognises its work to support young people who have type one diabetes, while raising awareness of the condition and reaching out to others living with the condition.

Healthwatch Dorset has worked with volunteers in six Dorset schools, helping them reach out to thousands of young people, health commissioners and providers across the country through assemblies, a blog and two short films.

Louise Bate, Healthwatch Manager, said: “We are delighted to be shortlisted for this national award, as it recognises the enormous value of our volunteers, and how we work with local people to make a real difference.

"It was a pleasure working with these wonderful young volunteers, encouraging and supporting them to speak up about their experiences, and making sure their health care needs are heard and understood.

The nomination comes after figures revealed that the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has more than doubled in the last 20 years. Around 3,7 million people now live with a diagnosis of the condition in the UK, an increase of 1.9 million since 1998; the number of people diagnosed with type one or type two diabetes has increased by almost 100,000 since 2018. (Diabetes UK, 2019)

Sir Robert Francis QC, Chair of Healthwatch England, said: “I never stop being inspired by the dedication of local Healthwatch staff to making care better for their communities. Whether reaching out those whose views are not being heard, helping people to find the support they need or making sure NHS and social care services act on the improvements that the public want to see, the award entries highlight the difference local Healthwatch make. I would like to congratulate everyone who has been shortlisted. They have done their communities proud.”

For more information on Healthwatch Dorset's diabetes campaign, visit https://healthwatchdorset.co.uk/project/diabetes-awareness/