Conference report: FEND 2009
Published: 04 November 2009
It's all go for jetsetter Jill Hill, who visited Vienna for this European meeting.
The 14th annual conference of the Federation of European Nurses in Diabetes (FEND) was held in Vienna on 25 and 26 September this year, with the theme "Declarations, Recommendations, Resolutions, Action". FEND brings together nurses working in diabetes from all over Europe, and it's fascinating to network and hear what nurses are doing (and not doing!) in other health care systems. The UK seems to be well-ahead with independent non-medical prescribing, with some ambivalence from other nurses about the benefits and possible problems with this. FEND aims to:
- promote acceptable standards and equity of care of people with diabetes throughout Europe
- develop and promote the professional role of the diabetes nurse in Europe
- influence European health care policy relevant to diabetes care, education and research
- co-operate and collaborate with national and international health care organisations.
Learning from our hosts
The programme started on Friday with an overview of diabetes in Austria by Professor Thomas Pieber who described the weaknesses of the health care system in his country. He said that 10% of GDP is spent on the national health insurance scheme which covers 98% of the population. There is still an overuse of hospital care, GP care for diabetes is variable, and communication between providers is poor (similarities to the UK there!).
There is no national register for people with type 2 diabetes, no outcome data or nationwide quality management system, no specialised centres for diabetes foot syndromes (and therefore the amputation rates are relatively high). In the UK, we moan about the GMS contract and the Quality Outcome Framework targets but it has focused the mind on keeping accurate records about patients' management and outcomes. He also described the diabetes "rehabilitation" approach followed in Austria, which focuses on lifestyle training and weight management programmes. Unfortunately, patients "dip in and out" of this service when they feel like it so it is very expensive and has limited long-term success.
News from home
The UK was well represented in the programme with talks on managing the elderly by Simon Croxon from Bristol, a fascinating overview of hypo awareness by Professor Stephanie Amiel from London, and a lovely dialogue from Dr Roy Taylor from Newcastle-upon-Tyne describing how he set up a digital retinopathy screening service using non-medical screeners and an old ambulance. It was a real lesson on how to start small and grow with a good idea.
Professor Bert Vrijhoef from the Netherlands asked "European Nurses in Diabetes - what are you doing?" He described the results from SEND (Study on European Nurses in Diabetes) which were rather disappointing. Few nurses responded, and those that did have such varied roles and interpreted the questions differently, so we are no closer to knowing what we are doing!
There were some good posters in the exhibition, and lots of networking between diabetes nurses. If you get the chance to go next year to the conference in Stockholm, do. It's well worth it!