Pharmacist Elizabeth Hackett has become the Diabetes UK's first pharmacy Clinical Champion.

In her roles as a Diabetes UK Clinical Champion Ms Hackett will be supported and empowered to transform care for people living with diabetes. Differences in the delivery of diabetes care and treatment has led to variations in patient outcomes, and the charity recognises the urgent need to address these issues to ensure people living with diabetes consistently receive the best possible care and treatment.

Ms Hackett is principal pharmacist for diabetes and formulary pharmacist for Leicester’s hospitals. She said: “I am delighted to have been selected as a Diabetes UK Clinical Champion; it is a real honour. The number of people developing diabetes is growing at an alarming rate and we have to think creatively about how we support them. I am hoping to involve pharmacists more in the delivery of care to patients with diabetes and wish to explore ways to do this in my new clinical champion role.”

The Clinical Champions initiative – a Diabetes UK project in collaboration with Novo Nordisk – has selected 20 Champions based on their skills, clinical expertise, passion and integrity. A key ingredient in the selection process was to identify Champions with the potential to make a real difference by delivering tangible improvements in care, said Diabetes UK.

Clinical Champions will be in post for two years and will receive the support and personal and professional development they need to become catalysts for change in their areas of expertise and to act as advocates for people with diabetes. The Champions have already delivered some groundbreaking projects, for example the introduction of a simple medication algorithm across four Birmingham CCGs to ensure patients have equal access to treatment regardless of where they live.

Chris Askew, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: “Clinicians are uniquely well placed to identify how diabetes services could be improved, but are all too often left frustrated and unable to deliver this change. However, as Clinical Champions, they have the unique opportunity to draw on their expertise and take action to make a real difference to the lives of people living with diabetes.

For more information about the project click here.