The NHS Lanarkshire Healthy Lifestyle and Weight Management Service (LWMS), in partnership with the Hunter GP Cluster in East Kilbride, recently hosted two successful online Pre-diabetes Patient Education Sessions aimed at supporting individuals identified as living with pre-diabetes.
The online sessions, delivered by Ellie Watt and Hayley Sharkie Boyd, Pre-diabetes Dietitians and Laura Stewart, Specialist Weight Management Dietitian within LWMS, provided attendees with practical information on understanding of the condition, lifestyle recommendations, and nutrition strategies to support better health outcomes.
The events, which combined welcomed over 80 people, were designed to increase awareness and confidence among patients, while introducing NHS Lanarkshire’s “Steps to Prevent It” programme: a referral only small-group education initiative supporting around 10 patients per group with pre-diabetes.
“We wanted to create an open, supportive space where people could ask and learn more about pre-diabetes and feel empowered to make positive changes,” said Ellie. “It was fantastic to see so many people engaging and asking questions.”
Hayley added, “Pre-diabetes can be a turning point — and with the right information and support, many people can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. These sessions are about giving patients the tools to do just that.”
The feedback demonstrated a strong impact from the 18 responses received:
- 16 respondents rated the session as extremely clear.
- 11 participants found the event very useful, particularly valuing guidance on understanding pre-diabetes, nutrition, and lifestyle changes.
- 10 attendees reported feeling confident or very confident in managing their condition after the event.
- Satisfaction: All respondents said they would recommend the session to others. 17 participants were satisfied with the online format, indicating the virtual delivery was accessible and well received.
- Suggestions for improvement included more in-depth dietary advice and clearer event logistics, which will be considered for future sessions to enhance patient experience.
Dr Aster Ayana, Cluster Quality Lead, Hunter Health Centre, commented: “We recognised we had a large cohort of patients with a need to access education on pre-diabetes. We offered this in an online group format to offer tailored support, following a successful online menopause event from our Kirkview Practice.
“We wanted to ensure they had access to clear, practical information to help them better understand their condition and make positive lifestyle changes. I reached out to LWMS, who were incredibly supportive, and their Specialist Dietitians were enthusiastic about delivering this dedicated session.”
Hilary Pierce, Dietetic Lead – LWMS, NHS Lanarkshire, said: “We were very pleased to be involved with this collaboration with the Hunter Cluster in East Kilbride to help patients access support following a diagnosis of pre-diabetes. Our service offers a range of support programmes which can all be accessed via a health professional referral to LWMS.
“Living a healthy lifestyle will help reduce the risk of developing diabetes, and our team provides information and support to manage their changeable risks to reduce the likelihood of type 2 diabetes through realistic, healthy changes.
“We’re looking at organising more events like this in the future for Lanarkshire residents with a pre-diabetes diagnosis. This will enable us to support as many people as possible with the right information and direct them to the local programmes available.”
About the “Steps to Prevent It” Programme
Steps to Prevent It is a group education programme designed exclusively for those diagnosed with pre-diabetes. The programme can be accessed by a health professional referral to LWMS and discusses key topics required to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Topics include; dietary suggestions, weight management information and strategies to increase activity. Importantly it gives participants the opportunity to have any outstanding questions answered, whilst meeting others who have also recently been diagnosed.
Find out more information to support pre-diabetes on our webpage.
