Education sessions for people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes are now being provided monthly at the Conquest Hospital and The Ridge Fire Station, thanks to a new partnership between NHS Hastings and Rother and East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service.
Education sessions for people from the Hastings and Rother area have been held monthly at the Conquest, but demand has meant a need for more courses. The team behind the courses wanted a non-medical community location and contacted the fire service, who were happy for one of their rooms to be used regularly for the courses.
The two three hour education sessions give information and advice on healthy lifestyles and managing diabetes at home. This helps people to understand their condition and feel more confident in getting on with their lives. In addition, attendees at the courses held at the fire station will receive a short talk on fire safety.
Val Edwards, Senior Diabetes Specialist Nurse for NHS Hastings and Rother, said: “People with newly diagnosed diabetes can sometimes feel anxious and unsure about what to do next.
“We know that people welcome the opportunity to ask questions and discuss their concerns in a relaxed and informal environment. Previous attendees have told us that they value the opportunity to meet others with the same problems, the friendly atmosphere of the sessions and the information that we give them.”
Community Safety Officer for East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, Stephen Wright, said: “This is the perfect opportunity for our firefighters to meet with sections of the community and to give valuable fire safety advice and offer home safety visits.
“It is pleasing to see our facilities being used in such a positive fashion and we would be delighted to offer our community rooms at The Ridge Community Fire Station to any other caring organisations who would like to make use of them.”
Anyone who has recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and would like to attend the sessions should contact 01424 735652 for more information.
