The first accredited diabetes educational course for pharmaceutical company representatives has taken place at the University of Warwick.

Believed to be the first course of its kind in the world, delegates from the pharmaceutical alliance Bristol‐Myers Squibb/AstraZeneca were the first to attend the 2 day residential programme. 

Successful delegates gain the Diabetes Pharmaceutical Award from the University of Warwick. Academics from Warwick Diabetes Care at Warwick Medical School focused on the management of diabetes from a healthcare and patient perspective.

The course covered a wide range of topics including the changing environment of diabetes care covering Government policies, NICE guidance, evidence quality, self management and personal patient perspectives.

Roger Gadsby, MBE and Associate Clinical Professor at Warwick Medical School said: “We decided to put this course together to help the pharmaceutical industry really understand the current context of diabetes care, how people live with diabetes and the factors that affect management. It has been a great success and really helped the delegates to see how the pharmaceutical industry can work more effectively with the NHS.”

More courses are planned for staff from the Alliance during 2010 and 2011. A Healthcare Manager from the Alliance, Ashley Smith was among the 20 delegates who took part in the first course.

He said: “The level of expertise [of the tutors] was second to none. When discussing the course with my customers they have all been very impressed with the commitment the Alliance is making to diabetes education, ensuring we are adequately equipped to fully engage with the NHS at a level not seen before in diabetes.”

Notes to editors
A picture of the first cohort of delegates and teaching staff  is available here: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/communications/medialibrary/images/march10/class_photo_002.jpg 

For more information please contact Kelly Parkes‐Harrison, Communications Officer,University of Warwick, k.e.parkes@warwick.ac.uk, 02476 150483, 07824 540863