Diabetes.co.uk
| Type of business | Private |
|---|---|
Type of site | Social networking, Internet forum, Community site |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Headquarters | , |
| Key people | David Holyoak Arjun Panesar Charlotte Summers Barry Summers |
| URL | Diabetes.co.uk |
| Launched | April 1, 2001 |
| Current status | Active |
Diabetes.co.uk is a British-based brand and digital communication channel which provides news and information on diabetes, evidence-based education programmes, newsletters, cookbooks and a patient network that improves the health of people with diabetes, the Diabetes Forum.[1] The Diabetes Forum connects people who have diabetes who share their own experiences in relation to diabetes and its associated complications. Through this, users generate data about the real-world nature of diabetes that helps other people with diabetes, researchers, pharmaceutical companies and non-profit organisations develop more effective products, services and care.
History
Diabetes.co.uk was founded in 2001 and the Diabetes.co.uk Forum was launched in 2007.
In March 2014, Diabetes.co.uk launched the hashtag #BloodSugarSelfie to raise awareness for diabetes through people posting selfies with their blood glucose reading. Promoted through social media, the campaign raised money for JDRF UK and was reported to have saved a life.[2] In October 2015, the #BloodSugarSelfie campaign was recognised for Best use of social media to deliver a health campaign.[3]
Diabetes.co.uk runs Diabetes Awareness Month in the month of November and has done so for the past 2 years in the UK.[4]
Diabetes.co.uk's Low Carb Program was recognised by the National Business Awards in 2016, winning the Positive Social Impact Award for "saving NHS budgets and saving lives".[5].
Growth
The Diabetes.co.uk Forum is Europe's largest diabetes forum.[6] Diabetes.co.uk's Facebook page has been recognised as a "perfect example of a successful social media".[7]
Products and services
Publishing
Diabetes.co.uk publishes news, videos and information on diabetes and related industries daily.
Books
Reverse Your Diabetes: The Step-by-Step Plan to Take Control of Type 2 Diabetes is written by Dr David Cavan, Director of Policy and Programmes at the IDF and published by Random House.[8] A second book, Reverse Your Diabetes Diet: The new eating plan to take control of type 2 diabetes, with 60 quick-and-easy recipes was published in March 2016.
Clinical trials
Diabetes.co.uk publicises clinical trials and recruits patients for researchers and pharmaceutical organisations.[9]
Diabetes Shop
Diabetes.co.uk operates a shop selling diabetes related goods.
Diabetes Forum
The Diabetes Forum is the UK's largest diabetes forum. There are currently 166,099 members of the Diabetes Forum. The Diabetes Forum was recognised in 2013 and commended by the Quality in Care (QiC) Programmes for improving self-management and diabetes care through social interaction.[10]
The Diabetes Forum was cited as being popular in highlighting the adoption of a low carbohydrate diet as a way of achieving weight loss and improving HbA1c in patients with Type 2 Diabetes, despite the approach being 'generally frowned upon in the UK'.[11]
Type 2 Testing Program
The Type 2 Testing Program is a subscription service for non insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetics. Test strips, a blood glucose meter and a structured testing plan are provided for self-monitoring and controlling blood glucose levels.[12]
Hypo Program
The Hypo Program is a free education program for people with insulin dependent diabetes, aimed at improving blood glucose awareness. The program is supported by the InDependent Diabetes Trust.[13]
Low Carb Program
The Low Carb Program is a free education program for people with Type 2 Diabetes, aimed at improving blood glucose control.[14] The award-winning[5] program was developed with the feedback of 20,000 people with diabetes.[15].
Corporate affairs and culture
Core values
The company describes its primary aim as improving the physical, psychological and mental health of people with diabetes or those caring for people with diabetes. It has four core values to help achieve its goal:[16]
- Community first - Honouring and respecting the patients who use the site, its services and share health information.
- What's best for the community is best for us - This is the concept that the community is at the heart of the business and therefore the community's best interests should be preserved over anything else.
- Transparent - The company believes that patients should be aware of how their data is used.
- "Nice!" - This is the desired response the company seek to achieve when patients use any of the company's websites or apps.
Business model
Describing itself as a "private company with an established 'community-profit' culture (the diabetes community's interests at heart)" Diabetes.co.uk's business model focuses on recruiting for clinical trials and advertising.[16]
References
- ^ Diabetes.co.uk profile
- ^ #BloodSugarSelfie saved my life says JDRF supporter
- ^ Diabetes Times: Diabetes Awareness Month kicks off
- ^ a b 2016 Winners - National Business Awards
- ^ Diabetes Times: Diabetes.co.uk reaches over 100,000 members
- ^ Can the Internet and Social Media Help the Development of Healthcare?
- ^ Cavan, David. Reverse Your Diabetes: The Step-by-Step Plan to Take Control of Type 2 Diabetes.
- ^ Clinical trial recruitment
- ^ Quality in Care Programme: Best initiative supporting self-care
- ^ Unwin, David; Unwin, Jen (2014). "Low carbohydrate diet to achieve weight loss and improve HbA1c in type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes: experience from one general practice". Practical Diabetes. 31 (2): 76–79. doi:10.1002/pdi.1835. ISSN 2047-2897.
- ^ Diabetes.co.uk launches Type 2 Testing Program
- ^ Thousands register for online hypo course
- ^ Thousands of diabetics adopt high-protein low-carb diet in backlash against official NHS eating plan
- ^ Diabetes boost for low carb diet
- ^ a b About Diabetes.co.uk