Annette Routledge recognised twice at the 2024 DESMOND awards
Annette receiving the Educator of the Year award from Alison Northern LDC Implementation Lead
Annette Routledge, Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist at North Cumbria Integrated Care – Cumbria Diabetes Education was the winner of two awards at the 2024 Celebrating DESMOND Awards, which were held in November 2024.
Annette received the Deirdre McGowan Educator of the Year award, given to a DESMOND Educator who has made a difference to the lives of people with, or at risk of, type 2 diabetes. This person is chosen as they have shown an outstanding commitment to the DESMOND philosophy and principles and have supported and mentored fellow Educators. In addition, Annette is also the first person to win the new Outstanding Achievement Award, which was introduced for the first time in 2024.
Annette’s career in Cumbria has spanned over 25 years. During that time, she has played a key role in redesigning the diabetes service, making sure there is a focus on structured education for people living with diabetes.
DESMOND first launched in North Cumbria in 2009. Annette was integral in identifying, training, and supporting the first cohort of 34 DESMOND Educators who in their first year delivered 130 courses across the county. Since then, Annette has continued with commitment and enthusiasm to support the expansion of DESMOND offered in North Cumbria.
Annette explains the importance of DESMOND: “Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is a real shock for many people. The diagnosis comes along with feelings of fear, frustration, denial, and stigma. Attending structured groups not only provides the information people need, but it also provides peer support and a safe place to discuss the impact of being diagnosed.
“I feel we can never offer too much education for people living with diabetes as I am always inspired by the commitment people make to lifestyle changes to improve their long-term outcomes.”
Alongside her delivery to patients, Annette also supports local clinicians to equip them with the skills to provide frontline, person-centred diabetes care, and supports ongoing quality development and improvements among the DESMOND Educator team across her patch.
Colleagues have called Annette the “angel of diabetes” for her passion, expertise and humour in delivering diabetes care and education, and say that she inspired them to become DESMOND Educators.
Dr Robert Westgate, Carlisle Healthcare Primary Care Network Clinical Director, who nominated Annette said:
Annette has been innovative when adapting the DESMOND Injectable Therapies programme for the rural population in North Cumbria. She practices and promotes DESMOND values at every opportunity - with professional colleagues and course participants.
Annette shows passion and drive for diabetes education that has inspired and rubbed off on her colleagues, who describe her as “a great mentor.”
Annette adds: “It is a privilege to spend whole days with people attending our courses who are open, honest, and so willing to support people in the same boat. To receive this recognition on top of having so much job satisfaction is fantastic.”
Alison Northern, Implementation Lead from the Leicester Diabetes Centre, who hosted the Awards said “It was a real honour to be able to acknowledge Annette’s hard work and determination with these two awards. Annette’s passion is contagious, and we can all learn a lot from her. Annette is a great role model to DESMOND teams up and down the country in how to embody the DESMOND philosophy and support others to be the best DESMOND Educators they can be. Huge congratulations Annette.”