EMPOWER Structured Diabetes Education

Giving people the tools to manage their diabetes

EMPOWER is our fully QISMET accredited, structured diabetes education course. We are proud to provide this service in different ways, making it accessible for all. Our course is available face-to-face, in virtual group sessions, or by guided online learning.

This four hour course teaches what Type 2 diabetes is and the effect it has on the body. Plus, it covers how to make small, achievable changes to what participants eat and their everyday life.

These courses have proven clinical outcomes. They save the NHS money. They reduce the backlog of people waiting for courses. And they help patients feel confident about managing their Type 2 diabetes. We have now enrolled over 11,000 patients onto our EMPOWER course. This helps to reduce the money that the NHS spends on diabetes complications and medicines.

We’re quick to set up our services across healthcare systems. Our EMPOWER courses can be up and helping patients in 4-6 weeks. We aim to create a smooth education journey for patients and healthcare professionals.

To help reach more people across the UK we have developed Train-the-Trainer, a scalable way of upskilling diabetes specialist nurses and other NHS healthcare professionals on how to deliver our EMPOWER program and accrediting them annually.

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"Very friendly and non-judgemental, and providing information and advice that was easy to understand."

Pauline, NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB

"Betina was knowledgeable and presented diabetes in an understandable form for a complex subject. It was entertaining and the four hours went very quickly. "

Philip, NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB

"Very well explained in a way that was easy to understand. Tracey had good interaction with us all. Not at all patronising or blaming. So glad I attended."

Lorraine, NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB

"The course was very informative as well as brilliantly delivered; making everybody feel at ease. I would recommend it to anybody needing it."

Julie, NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB

"Really enjoyed the course l learnt so much and l really appreciate you putting them on, the tutor was lovely and made you really feel at ease."

Sharon, NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB

"Four hours seemed daunting when I received the course details but the time seemed to fly past and was entertaining as well as informative."

Steve, NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB

"It was informative, friendly, inspiring me to get more knowledge and develop creativity with regard to adapting recipes, having mechanisms in place to help me stay on target. "

Rosalind, NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB

"I found the information provided very helpful. I have lost 2 stone in weight and droped from 58 points to 48 in 3 months. I will be sticking to the changes advised and work my way to remission. "

Peter, NHS Kent and Medway ICB

"Excellent presentation through the duration of the course, easy to understand very good slides, participation by the other people was good, bringing their experiences to the discussion."

Anthony, NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB

"Clear and concise. This education session covered a big topic without being confusing. Very informative and useful. "

Emma, NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB

Proven clinical results

We have published evidence to back up our work. This includes brilliant uptake rates, NHS cost savings and improved patient outcomes.

12% relative reduction in HbA1c

EMPOWER has proven to help patients lower blood glucose levels⁽³⁾

50% participant uptake rate

50%⁽¹⁾ is three times the reported uptake for Structured Diabetes Education courses⁽²⁾

Save £2 for every £1 spent

NHS savings within 3 years of the patient attending a course⁽³⁾

1. Data on file. Spirit Health. All EMPOWER programmes analysis to July 2021. July 2021.
2. NHS Digital, National Diabetes Audit, 2020-21 Quarterly Report, 2021
3. Swift, Barker, Palin and Peck ‘Investigating the cost-effectiveness of structured diabetes education’, British Journal of Healthcare Management 2019.

EMPOWER is fully QISMET accredited

QISMET provides accreditation of self-management education interventions. We're proud that our EMPOWER service is fully QISMET accredited, including our local, video, digital and solo course.

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How it works

EMPOWER is also available in different languages to suit participants' needs. This contributes to our mission of making health easy and accessible for all.

EMPOWER Local

Face to face education delivered by a trained educator in a local community venue.

EMPOWER Video

Face to face education delivered by a trained educator through video conferencing software.

EMPOWER Digital

Self-directed learning delivered through a digital platform.

EMPOWER Solo

Specialist one to one tuition delivered by a trained educator.

What makes us different?

We have a track record of delivering EMPOWER across 8 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). Patients and clinicians also love our courses, shown by a 97% Friends and Family Test score⁽³⁾.

We can also deliver as many courses as you need, whether that’s face-to-face or online. Plus, our Spirit Health team manage the courses and are always on hand to answer any questions.

Monitoring and support
Communicating outcomes
Easy access
Engaging and motivating courses
Auditable processes

^{3. Data on file. EMPOWER T2n participant feedback all CCGs 2019/20.}

Tackling backlog

Spirit worked with Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board to reduce the number of people waiting for a diabetes education course. The results were that 36% of participants completed an online structured diabetes programme. Plus, a further 14% registered interest in a face-to-face one.

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