March 2021 Newsletter

March 2021 Newsletter

Dear All

I hope many of you enjoyed Caroline Kim's talk last month on how medicines work in the body. 

After the hopefully last cold snap of Winter a few weeks ago it looks like we are now moving into Spring. It is much more enjoyable to go out for a walk now with the birds singing and the first snowdrops and daffodils appearing. Walking is so good for our mental and physical health.

On the subject of mental health please remember our next Zoom meeting on Monday 15th March at 7pm when Yvanna Coopoosamy will talk to us about five strategies for feeling better. At the moment, we all need to look after our mental health and find ways to make ourselves feel better so this should be a very timely talk. Yvanna gave this presentation at a Diabetes UK meeting last summer and it was very well received. 

Our next piece of news is that thanks to Pravin Patel and Alyson Tee we now have a new Facebook Group. This replaces the old group which has now been removed from the site so if you use Facebook please sign up as a member. Any member can post on the site from comments on Events to discussion threads on Diabetes related subjects. 

Diabetes UK Kingston Group 

I would hope by now that many of you will have received your first dose of vaccine. Groups 1-4 have in theory all been offered a first dose in the SW London area and they are now inviting people in Groups 5 & 6 for vaccination. If you are in Groups 1-4 (over 70 or with a shielding condition) and have not had a vaccination invitation then please contact your GP. If you are in Groups 5-6 (65-69 and people with underlying conditions including Diabetes) you should be receiving their vaccination invitations shortly.

Due to the pandemic and lockdown, Diabetes UK has revised its leaflet on what diabetic care you can expect to receive at the moment. I have attached their new leaflet.

 

Other Zoom meetings

The Richmond DUK group have invited us to join their meeting on Monday 22nd March when a pharmacist with a special interest in diabetic medicines will talk about the subject. I will send on further details when available.

Carshalton group next Zoom meeting Thursday 18th March 2021 at 7:30 pm . Nadine Wyatt, Senior Engagement Management from the NHS SW London CCG together with a clinician will talk about vaccination and other non-Covid NHS services. 

If you would like to join this Zoom meeting please register in advance with your first name and surname by email to: carshaltondiabetesgroup@gmail.com 

Diabetes UK are holding a Diabetes and Ramadan Webinar. Join them and an expert panel including a local senior Imam and Diabetes Consultant to find out more about fasting and ask any questions you may have about staying healthy during Ramadan. 

To register in advance for the ‘Diabetes during Ramadan’ webinar please follow this link:

Diabetes during Ramadan

I hope to see many of you at the next meeting!

 

Best wishes

Anne Lewis-Lloyd

DUK Kingston Group Chair