A SCHEME which has helped 1,300 people in Worcestershire with diabetes understand more about the condition in the past year alone has won a national award for the second year in a row.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust runs the sessions throughout the county and has received a national X-PERT Health award for the second year running for the amount of people who have benefitted from the courses.

The organisation – which runs Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Kidderminster Hospital and Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital – offers three education programmes for people with the condition.

Paula Kirrage is one of the patients to attended the courses and said they had been a great benefit to her.

“These sessions keep my understanding of my condition up-to-date and help me to set goals for the future,” she said.

“The more I know about diabetes, the longer I can live a healthy life through X-PERT support and self-management.”

Specialist diabetes dietician at the trust Rosanne Dunkley said she was very proud of what the programme had achieved.

“We have a range of programmes to suit all people with the condition held at venues across the county,” she said.

“The number of people with diabetes in the county is fast approaching 30,000.

“These education sessions are a huge benefit to our patients and it is fantastic to be recognised for the work we do.”

Clinical lead and medical advisor in primary care for the Royal College of General Practitioners and Diabetes UK Dr Stephen Lawrence praised the trust for its work helping people with the disease.

“Organisations like Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust are making a real difference to the lives of so many people with diabetes," he said.

"Well done for carrying the banner and providing the evidence we need to keep pushing diabetes education to the top of the agenda.”

For more information on diabetes education sessions on offer in Worcestershire speak to your GP or visit www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/diabetes.