DESMOND is a one-day health education programme for people in Hillingdon with type 2 diabetes and who are in their first year of diagnosis.
DESMOND (Diabetes Education Structured for the Management of Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed Diabetes) offers a way of finding out more about type 2 diabetes, a resource to help individuals to manage the changes that diabetes will bring to their life, and an opportunity to meet and share experiences with others.
The programme is delivered as a one-day session with trained facilitators using specially developed resources It takes place at several locations in Hillingdon in groups of 10-12 people.
For people who do not speak English, or those with a disability or who are housebound, we now offer “mini” DESMOND with a one-to-one session for one hour with a diabetes specialist nurse.
Following a general practitioner (GP) referral, individuals are invited to attend a venue of their choice and are encouraged to bring along a friend or relative for support. Those who attend the course will learn all about diabetes and how management of the following can improve wellbeing:
- Exercise
- Blood glucose monitoring
- Medication
- Ways to improve your diet including all about fats
- Carbohydrate and sugar content in food and drink
- Complications from diabetes and how to prevent them
Courses are scheduled on a regular basis with a choice of location, including some weekend sessions.
The programme is for people who have been newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (i.e. they should have received their diagnosis less than a year ago). Individuals should be over 18, live in Hillingdon and have a Hillingdon GP.
The service accepts referrals from GPs or practice nurses.
Download DESMOND programme referral form (opens word doc)
DESMOND clinics operate several times a month.
Saturday courses are scheduled throughout the year to accommodate those patients who are unable to attend on weekdays.
If you need help in a crisis, please do the following
- Contact the CNWL service looking after you during their office hours
- If the crisis is during when your service is closed, there are alternative options provided by the NHS found on this page.
- If you are not already being looked after by CNWL or elsewhere within the NHS, see your GP during normal working hours as they can then refer you to a local service.
Find your closest GP on NHS Choices.