latest news

Keep up to date with the latest information, news and activity about diabetes-related foot health and disease.

subscribe

Subscribe to our mailing list to hear the latest that's happening nationally and globally in diabetes feet health. With updates about new education, research, latest events and what's new in diabetes and feet.

SUBSCRIBE TO MAILING LIST

* indicates required

Expression of Interest – seeking new DFA steering committee members

Feb 9, 2022

The DFA Steering Committee plays a leadership role in developing the strategic plan and priorities for DFA, and delivering projects and activities that align with the strategic plan. Members have a well-developed understanding and experience with diabetes-related foot disease in Australia and participate in making informed, valuable contributions to DFA’s primary objectives.

The DFA Steering committee is currently looking for three new Steering Committee members who work in Australia, have significant DFD experience and:
1. Represent an Allied Health discipline, or
2. Represent a Nursing discipline, or
3. Is an Emerging National Leader in DFD*

*DFA is encouraging applicants in this category who can demonstrate national leadership potential across any combination of DFD clinical practice, research or advocacy. DFA is committed to gender equity and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples representation, and suitable applicants are encouraged to apply.

Sound interesting? CLICK HERE to download the application form and learn more.

Applications close Monday 28FEB22.

Establishing the national top 10 priority research questions to improve diabetes-related foot health and disease

Dec 21, 2021

DFA has published the finding from a major research project investigating priority research questions according to Australian stakeholders involved in diabetes-related foot health and disease. The article can be found here, and even though we are biased it is important to talk about the results.

In 2017, Diabetes Feet Australia (DFA) published the “Australian diabetes-related foot disease strategy 2018-2022: The first step towards ending avoidable amputations within a generation” (7). A section of this landmark document discusses potential solutions to the lack of research into DFD and how deficiencies in research funding may be addressed. This is a big problem of course, as DFD causes ~60% of the global diabetes disability burden and ~33% of all diabetes healthcare costs yet receives <0.2% of all diabetes research funding awarded.

A key recommendation of the national strategy was for the development of a widely endorsed national research agenda for DFD that focuses research priorities for achieving the common long-term national goal of ending avoidable amputations in a generation (2). While international peak bodies such as the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) have published suggested areas for future research according to uncertainties in the existing international literature (8-12), little is known about what research priorities a broad range of Australian (or anywhere else) stakeholders of diabetes-related foot disease consider important.

So, in late 2019 DFA then Chair Pete Lazzarini and Steering Committee member Byron Perrin conceived a study to determine the priority research questions according to Australian stakeholders involved in diabetes-related foot health and disease. A multi-disciplinary team comprising of DFA Steering Committee members and external experts were brought together for the project, with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and consumer representation. The team worked very well together with Tash Purcell superbly managing the online data collection.

A total 226 unique questions were proposed by 210 participants (including 121 health professionals and 72 consumers), with 69 participants completing all three rounds of the consensus-building process (39 health professionals and 30 consumers).

The key findings were:

  • Patients prioritised peripheral neuropathy and prevention-related questions
  • Health professionals prioritised health economic and management-related questions
  • Australia’s First Peoples health was the top priority question for health professionals

To quote the article: “While it was expected that the subgroups of consumers and health professionals may show contrasting priorities, the degree of difference was somewhat surprising.” The findings demonstrate that it is important to include consumers in DFD research priority setting, as consumer research priorities cannot simply be assumed by researchers.

A limitation of the study was lack of voice from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, and a “Phase 2” project is being planned by DFA to determine what research questions Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people prioritise.

A final conclusion of the study is that the findings from this study should guide future national research agendas that pursue answers to these important priority research questions and in turn contribute to the reduction of the disease burden caused by DFD on patients and nations.  In addition, these findings should assist diabetes peak bodies in lobbying government for targeted research funding which can help to bridge the current funding gap between the high DFD burden and low DFD research funding to address this burden.

The publication of the DFA lead paper Establishing the national top-10 priority research questions to improve diabetes-related foot health and disease: a Delphi study of Australian stakeholders in BMC Open Diabetes Research and Care is the culmination of a fruitful multi-disciplinary collaboration and is an excellent example of teamwork amongst people interested in diabetes-related foot disease.

Read BMJ ARTICLE 

Learn more about the study 

Citation: Perrin BM, Raspovic A, Williams CM, Twigg SM, Golledge J, Hamilton E, Crawford A, Hargreaves C, van Netten JJ, Purcell N, Lazzarini PA. Establishing the national top 10 priority research questions to improve diabetes-related foot health and disease: a Delphi study of Australian stakeholders. BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care 2021;9:e002570. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2021-002570

Introducing the new DFA branding

Dec 18, 2020

We’re excited to share with you that Diabetic Foot Australia is now Diabetes Feet Australia!

So…why the new branding? That’s a good question!

As DFA has grown, our vision and objectives have remained consistent. But we also recognised the need to evolve our branding to better reflect who we are, and what we represent as an organisation now and into the future. Since joining the Australian Diabetes Society (ADS) as a division in 2018, our goal has also been to align with the ADS branding, whilst retaining DFA’s most recognisable logo icons. And you can learn even more about our new branding here.

DFA is still…DFA. But you will notice some changes to our social media, emails, and website as we roll out the new branding. We may have changed our name, but our important purpose to end avoidable amputations within a generation remains the same.

An Innovative prograM to Prevent diAbetes-related foot ComplicaTions (IMPACT)

Aug 3, 2020

The vascular disease research team at James Cook University, led by Professor Jon Golledge, is conducting a survey to investigate health professionals experiences in managing patients with diabetic foot disease and related complications.  This survey intends to gather information from a broad range of health professionals to contribute to the development of a remote management program that will facilitate more efficient care of people with diabetes who have suffered a diabetes-related foot issue (such as ulcer, amputation, etc.).

Information provided on this survey is stored and processed in a single multi-tenant data centre in Australia. No data is transferred out of this center, to centers in other regions. By completing this survey, you agree to this method of handling your data. The data remains the property of James Cook University and is not on sold or used elsewhere. Ethics approval from the Townsville Hospital and Health service HREC with reference number HREC/QTHS/53880.

Please complete the survey below regarding your experiences treating patients with diabetic foot disease. This survey is open until 30th August 2020 so make sure to get in quick!

http://bit.ly/SpIMPACT.

Expression of Interest: Seeking new DFA steering committee member

Jun 26, 2020

DFA is now seeking an additional steering member and is looking for those with significant DFD experience in infectious diseases to join the team.

Diabetes Feet Australia (DFA) was established in 2015 with the vision to end avoidable amputations within a generation in Australia with our primary objectives to:

  • Optimise national diabetes-related foot disease evidence based clinical practice
  • Stimulate national diabetes-related foot disease research
  • Empower Australia to become a leading nation in diabetes-related foot disease management
  • Reduce Australia’s diabetes-related amputation rate

Since then we’ve made some great advances in tackling our primary objectives and to date our activities have included:

  • The ‘2018-2022 Australian diabetes-related foot disease strategy’ published
  • The ‘Australian guidelines on footwear for people with diabetes’ published
  • The ‘Australian diabetic foot ulcer minimum dataset standards’ published
  • Hosted two of the largest national diabetic foot conferences in the world
  • Delivered multiple “Whats new in DFU” education events” around the nation
  • Established an Australian online research repository
  • Current projects include delivering the Australian Research Agenda and new national clinical guidelines and pathways for diabetes-related foot disease
  • Australia is now the 5th leading nation for diabetic foot research output
  • And produced multiple patient and clinician focused resources

A little bit about us:

DFA is led by a national steering committee comprised of a broad range of national experts from disciplines including medical, surgical, nursing, allied health, research and industry disciplines. Members also bring a wealth of experience as representatives on international, national and state diabetic foot groups, including the ‘International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot’, the former national diabetic foot ulcer group ‘Australian Diabetic Foot Network’ and DFoot International. The purpose of the Steering Committee is to play a leadership role in developing the strategic plan and priorities for DFA, and delivering projects and activities that align with the strategic plan. Members have a well-developed understanding and experience with diabetes-related foot disease in Australia and participate in making informed, valuable contributions to DFA’s primary objectives.

DFA Steering Committee member objectives include:

  • To promote and uphold Diabetes Feet Australia’s aim, mission and vision statement
  • Be available to attend and participate in quarterly meetings
  • Actively participate in DFA working group/s and projects
  • Employ professional and unbiased decision-making processes
  • Play a leadership role in determining and delivering priorities from the strategic plan

We’d love to hear from you!  So to learn more and to submit your application please click on the following:

EOI Application Guide

EOI Application Form (Infectious Diseases)

Applications close COB Monday 20 July 2020 and completed EOI Application forms should be emailed through to nationaloffice@www.diabetesfeetaustralia.org

Seeking consumer input for the National Clinical Guidelines project

May 7, 2020

Did you also know that diabetes-related foot ulcers are reported as the leading cause of amputation in Australia? But did you also know that 80% of diabetes-related amputations could be prevented by following best evidence-based treatments.

Here at DFA, one of the ways we’re tackling that statistic is by developing new national diabetes-related foot disease guidelines that reflect the most up-to-date evidence to guide standards of health care provision in Australia. We’re also developing a clinical toolkit with diabetes-related foot recommendation fact sheets and easy-to-use clinical pathways. But to help us achieve this, we need your valuable thoughts and experience.

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE TEAM? 

We are looking for a passionate consumer representative, who wants to help make a difference by sharing their personal experience and expertise with diabetes-related foot disease and foot health. For this voluntary position, we’d ideally like a representative who:

  • is based in Australia
  • lives with diabetes and has a history of having lived with a diabetes-related foot ulcer
  • has had previous experience/involvement as a consumer representative or a keen interest in this area

To learn more – download our consumer application guide.

Applications close Tuesday 19th May –  we look forward to hearing from you!

Seeking Consumer input for National Research Agenda project

May 7, 2020

Did you know that every two hours someone in Australia will undergo an amputation as a result of diabetes-related foot disease? Did you also know that diabetes-related foot disease receives less than 0.2% of the total diabetes research funded in Australia?

For a little known disease, the statistics are confronting. But it does make you stop and think about the reasons why, and leads to one very important question. What can and should we do to end avoidable amputations within a generation?

Here at DFA, one of the ways we’re tackling that question is to focus on the important role research plays. And how we can improve future national research opportunities by building the “Australian Research Agenda for diabetes-related foot disease”. But to build it, we need your valuable thoughts and ideas.

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE TEAM?

We are looking for two passionate consumer representatives, who want to help make a difference by sharing their personal experience and expertise with diabetes-related foot disease and foot health. For these voluntary positions, we’d ideally like representatives who:

  • are based in Australia
  • live with diabetes and have a history of having lived with a diabetes-related foot ulcer, or live with diabetes but without a history of diabetes-related foot ulcers
  • have had previous experience/involvement as a consumer representative or a keen interest in this area

To learn more – download our consumer application guide.

Applications close Tuesday 19th May –  we look forward to hearing from you!

 

Expression of Interest: Seeking DFA Steering Committee Member

Apr 21, 2020

DFA is now seeking an additional steering member and is looking for those with significant DFD experience in the following discipline: Surgery to join the team.

Diabetes Feet Australia (DFA) was established in 2015 with the vision to end avoidable amputations within a generation in Australia with our primary objectives to:

  • Optimise national diabetes-related foot disease evidence based clinical practice
  • Stimulate national diabetes-related foot disease research
  • Empower Australia to become a leading nation in diabetes-related foot disease management
  • Reduce Australia’s diabetes-related amputation rate

Since then we’ve made some great advances in tackling our primary objectives and to date our activities have included:

  • The ‘2018-2022 Australian diabetes-related foot disease strategy’ published
  • The ‘Australian guidelines on footwear for people with diabetes’ published
  • The ‘Australian diabetic foot ulcer minimum dataset standards’ published
  • Hosted two of the largest national diabetic foot conferences in the world
  • Delivered multiple “Whats new in DFU” education events” around the nation
  • Established an Australian online research repository
  • Delivering two ‘soon to be announced’ clinical and research projects in 2020
  • Australia is now the 5th leading nation for diabetic foot research output
  • And produced multiple patient and clinician focused resources

A little bit about us:

DFA is led by a national steering committee comprised of a broad range of national experts from disciplines including medical, surgical, nursing, allied health, research and industry disciplines. Members also bring a wealth of experience as representatives on international, national and state diabetic foot groups, including the ‘International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot’, the former national diabetic foot ulcer group ‘Australian Diabetic Foot Network’ and DFoot International. The purpose of the Steering Committee is to play a leadership role in developing the strategic plan and priorities for DFA, and delivering projects and activities that align with the strategic plan. Members have a well-developed understanding and experience with diabetes-related foot disease in Australia and participate in making informed, valuable contributions to DFA’s primary objectives.

DFA Steering Committee member objectives include:

  • To promote and uphold Diabetes Feet Australia’s aim, mission and vision statement
  • Be available to attend and participate in quarterly meetings
  • Actively participate in DFA working group/s and projects
  • Employ professional and unbiased decision-making processes
  • Play a leadership role in determining and delivering priorities from the strategic plan

We'd love to hear from you!  So to learn more and to submit your application please click on the following:

EOI Application Guide 

EOI Application Form

Applications close COB 11 May 2020 and completed EOI Application forms should be emailed through to nationaloffice@www.diabetesfeetaustralia.org

Helpful COVID-19 links for multi-disciplinary diabetes and foot health care professionals

Mar 20, 2020

There’s no doubt that the last few weeks have changed how we’ll all go about our daily lives in 2020. And for our Australian diabetes foot community – those living with diabetes-related foot disease and our healthcare professionals and researchers working to support them – questions and new information is released each week as we adapt to this global and local uncertainty.

Here at DFA, we’ll be updating our news page with important links and information to try and help keep healthcare professionals informed with latest news, information and advice on the COVID-19 situation that relates to the Australian diabetes foot community.

So, click below to access some of the links this week from relevant organisations that may help you in response to the COVID-19 situation.

Australian Government:

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-news-and-media

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-resources

AHPRA and the National Boards:

https://www.ahpra.gov.au/News/2020-03-12-Statement-from-the-National-Boards-and-Ahpra-COVID-19.aspx

Australian Medical Association:

https://ama.com.au/article/latest-information-covid-19

Australian Diabetes Society:

https://www.diabetesfeetaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/ADS-Letter-re-COVID-19-and-Diabetes-HPs-18032020.pdf

Australian Podiatry Association:

https://www.podiatry.org.au/about/news/covid-19—considerations-for-managing-risks-in-podiatry

 

Join the “diabetic foot PhD rush” in Bendigo Victoria

Dec 2, 2019

The Holsworth Research initiative (HRI) run from the La Trobe Rural Health School, Bendigo, Victoria has just advertised x6 potential full-time PhD scholarships commencing in 2020. One of them is a high-risk foot scholarship and the benefits include a 3.5 year scholarship with a value of $28,092 per annum. Bendigo was established as one of the most productive goldrush towns in the world and now is a wonderful regional city only 1.5 hours from Melbourne. The La Trobe Rural Health School is based at the established Bendigo campus of La Trobe University and is the largest rural health school in Australia.

The high-risk foot project is described as:

Keeping people with diabetic foot disease healthy and active

This project will build upon emerging theory relating to the pathophysiological and psychobehavioural causes of diabetic foot disease to develop an effective preventative health intervention that uses behavioural strategies and new technology to promote activity and prevent foot morbidity in people with diabetes. Based in a supportive environment, the full-time PhD candidate will be supervised by an experienced team lead by Dr Byron Perrin.

The link to the HRI Scholarship advertisement for all six projects and details on how to apply can be found here: https://www.seek.com.au/job/40484905?searchrequesttoken=9b0b99b2-f474-4207-96b9-6a684e3e2567&type=standard.

Closing date is the 8th January 2020.