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Congratulations to Professor Simmons

Professor David Simmons, MA, MBBS, FRACP, FRCP, MD (Cantab) has a long history in the New Zealand diabetes scene, South Auckland in particular.  Based in Sydney, Australia, he continues to be involved in research and practical interventions and treatments aimed at improving the lives and outcomes of people with or at risk of diabetes.   We congratulate David for receiving the 2020 Norbert Freinkel Award, given in memory of Norbert Freinkel, investigator and thought leader. Press r...

What a community can do when it comes together

We've been working in the Otara area for over 20 years so shared the deep disappointment when plans emerged that yet another fast food outfit, a KFC, was going to be built on a prominent corner site in the Otara town centre.  Now those plans have been confirmed as being cancelled, and this may be in part after community action.  This action included a petition organised by resident led community group Thriving Otara which gained nearly 5000 signatures under the banner "Say No Go t...

Throwback... remembering "Lets Beat Diabetes"

Who can believe it...it's 15 years since the Lets Beat Diabetes 5 year plan was put into action.   Lets Beat Diabetes (LBD) was a very ambitious project put together by Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB), as it was back then.   There's more information on the original planning from a document here and a 2007 workshop information sharing document here.    The project was described as "Let’s Beat Diabetes, commissioned by Counties Manukau District ...

Poster - Worth Study, community style recruiting, living the stories 2020

Poster  describing the experience of community based recruiting for the WORTH study "Which One if Right Here" Vildagliptin and Pioglitazone crossover study.    Kate Smallman, Karen Pickering, Trish Harry, Rinki Murphy....

Many thanks to our long term contract manager, Barbara Lusk

Barbara Lusk, contract manager and public health advocate extraordinaire, has retired from her (most recent) role with the Ministry of Health after nearly two decades of providing support and guidance to organisations such as our own.   I still remember her first visit to our small and at that time, rather run-down, shared premises in Otara.  It would have been 2001. Barbara sat in my office and explained how she liked to work, and how reporting would be done...sensibly.  &nb...

OrganicNZ write-up for Gardens4Health

Excellent article in OrganicNZ in the November/December 2019 issue written by Anissa Ljanta about Gardens4Health in the Auckland community....

Kate Smallman presents to the 2019 Primary Care day

YouTube link to a presentation Nurse Prescriber Kate Smallman delivered to the 2019 diabetes management in primary care day.  The topic is commencing insulin for type 2 diabetes.    This day was hosted by the Auckland faculty of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and the Goodfellow Unit....

New Research - the "Which One is Right Here (WORTH) Study

Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa are proud to be a community based study site for the randomised cross-over trial of vildagliptin and pioglitazone as add-on therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes: predicting Which One is Right Here (WORTH).Clinical Projects Manager/Researcher Kate Smallman and Research Assistant Trish Harry are delivering recruiting and management activities from our Otara office.   Recruiting is expected to finish is 2020.More information on what the study is about can ...

In the News:

This headline "Diabetes: New Zealand’s greatest epidemic" is from this article by Farah Hancock from Newsroom.The journalist describes how Professor Simmons presented early results from data gathered during the more than 20 years of audits carried out in Primary care to a full house at the Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa Diabetes Summit at Waipuna Lodge.   One of the significant points presented was that “Things haven’t really got any better, both in terms of management and ine...

Annual Activity Report - 2018-2019

We are delighted to present the first Annual Activity Report under the name of Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa.  This document covers for the year April 2018 to March 2019.  Please click on the link below to download the PDF.   For financials, see separate document or visit the Charities Commission website....

In the News:

Professor David Simmons had this to say about the situation with diabetes in Aotearoa New Zealand, as reported in this article in  Otago Daily Times.  "When people say, 'It's going to get worse', it's already got worse''.   Professor Simmons, is an international diabetes expert who has, with his team, been responsible for undertaking analysis of the extensive dataset left after closure of the DCSS Audit, which was carried out by Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa until 2018. The au...

South Auckland Diabetes Summit 2019: An urgent call to action

In 2019 the first South Auckland Diabetes Summit was held at Waipuna Lodge with a full house of health professionals, funders, representatives, patients and other stakeholders.  The summit came about after the 2018 closure of the DCSS diabetes quality audit in Auckland Primary care after over 20 years.  After an initial look at the data, the question was how to take what had been observed in those years further because things clearly had a long way to go as far as improving the situati...

About our new tohu “He huka kei te toto”

We have had just two other logo's or tohu since the Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa started back in the early 1990's, both stayed in use for a considerable period of time and represented the organisation well.  The new tohu is reflective a period of essential growth, change and development for the organisation and is in the form of a Koru.  It has been designed by prominent Māori artist Dr Richard Cooper and gifted by him to Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa.  Dr Coop...

New name, new Trust deed, new logo...we are now Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa

Diabetes Projects Trust has been in operation since the early 1990's.   In it's early days it was based at Middlemore hospital where it had been set up with a primary focus on conducting research.  In 2000 the organisation moved to Otara to share premises (and many discussions over the lunch table) with the team from the Whitiora diabetes service. The organisation continued to adapt until it reached it's current health promotion focus, designing and delivering specialised diabetes...

Healthy Workplaces, the DPT team at work

Diabetes Projects Trust Healthy Workplace programme aims to help workplaces to become a "health supporting environment".   In this picture we have Catherine, Bani, Diana and Trish ready to go with a cooking demonstration onsite at a workplace.  Other examples of the sorts of things they carry out include workplace assessments, advice to management, diabetes health checks, advice for healthy food options for canteens and vending machines, interactive presentations, support with hea...

The DCSS...our data is on the move!

The fully anonymised diabetes related DCSS dataset, as collected by our wonderful auditors from participating Primary care practices over a more than 20 year period, is now on the move.   In the early years, the DCSS was classified as research under ethics conditions. In the later years it was recognised as a quality improvement service and funded by DHB's (or predecessors) with oversight by an executive group made up of specialist advisors.The stated purposes of the audit were to imp...

In the News:

The title of the article in 'Our Auckland',  is "Growing community gardens in Albert-Eden".   Local Boards have an important role in supporting initiatives that help the urban environment, and can also help the health of their locals.  Albert Eden Local Board have a longstanding commitment to community gardening, providing some additional funding to Gardens4Health to deliver support to some of the gardens, 10 currently, in that area.    There is more informatio...

Annual Activity Report - 2017-2018

Below is a link to the Annual Activity report covering the April 2017 to March 2018 year period for Diabetes Projects Trust.   If for printing, it is in A5 paper size, flip on long side.Financial information for the year is in a separate document available on the Charities Commission website.Key points in this report: passing of long time Kaumatua Bill Wiki.  Resignation of long term Board members Pamela Tregonning, Henry Van der Heijden, Caran Barratt Boyes.   Also Sneh...

Brett McGregor on why diabetes is important to him

We thoroughly enjoyed working with Brett McGregor back in 2015 on the MasterClass, Keep Calm and Learn to Cook pilot programme which was delivered into South Auckland secondary schools.   This article by Caroline Wood was on the June 2018 Blog of Diabetes New Zealand (and 2016 DNZ magazine) has Brett talking about his efforts to make a difference, including his mahi on our programme.   https://www.diabetes.org.nz/blog/2018/5/30/keep-calm-and-learn-to-cook...

The DCSS inhouse Team say Farewell

As previously posted, the Diabetes Care Support Service (DCSS) Quality improvement audit of primary care has now closed data collection and service delivery after more than 20 years in the community.  This is obviously huge for our organisation and the people involved.  In a previous post we thanked those involved: "We wish to offer our sincere thanks to all those who participated.   Whether they be patients, practice staff, or others such as contract and fundi...

Closure of DCSS Audit of Primary Care - June 2018

Data collection for this service has closedThe Diabetes Care Support Service (DCSS) audit provided support to GP Practices across Auckland for over two decades from when it was established in the early 1990's by Professor David Simmons and others.  From it's original base at Middlemore Hospital the service moved into the Otara community and continued to develop and deliver across Auckland under the name of Diabetes Projects Trust.   The highly skilled DCSS auditors, over the years...

Poster NZSSD - Diabetes Care Support Service - Closure in 2018

in 2018 the DCSS Audit came to it's conclusion after over 20 years of working in Primary Care in Auckland.   This poster was taken to the NZSSD conference describing the final activities around reviewing the service.    Authored by Karen Pickering, Kate Smallman, John Baker, Rick Cutfield, Tim Kenealy, and Brandon Orr-Walker.    See other posts around the DCSS and it's activity and closure.   Should you want more information please contact admin@diabetesfo...

William (Bill) Wiki, Kaumatua, friend and advocate RIP

It was with heavy hearts that we learned of the unexpected passing of our long time Kaumatua, supporter and friend, Bill Wiki.    Bill was many things including a former army gunner and territorial, Justice of the Peace, Board member on the Otara Community Board and he acted in an advisory capacity for many other organisations and groups.  Bill had many awards for local participation and volunteer work, and in 2005 was recognised with the Queen's Service Medal.  He was an ext...

Introducing New Board members

We are delighted to confirm two new Board members and would like to introduce Dierdre Mellamphy and Gerhard Sundborn.  Brief bios below:Deirdre is a business owner, project manager and qualified chartered accountant and has worked across multiple industries.  She brings a range of experience with her to help prepare Diabetes Projects Trust to be robust and agile going forward as a productive and viable entity into the coming years.    More information available at Dierdre's L...

Introducing our new Board Chair - Dr John Baker

Dr John Baker has been in the role of Acting chair since the resignation of long standing Chairperson, Pam Tregonning.  John has been a member of the Diabetes Projects Trust Board of Trustees since the late 1990's.   He was confirmed as Chair by unanimous vote at the routine Trust Board meeting in November 2017.John is an endocrinologist who has worked for Counties Manukau DHB for many years.  He is a strong proponent of research and describes himself as "a diabetes physician...