Information for health professionals

Training 

As part of the Pharmac seminar series, there is a one day course in Wellington on Friday 7 December 2007 for practice nurses. The course will be facilitated by the Diabetes New Zealand Dietitian, Alison Pask. Speakers include Iris Fontanilla, health psychologist, and Lynne Ferguson, dietitian. The Pharmac Seminar Series Director for the day is Dr Margaret Horsburgh.

This workshop will provide skills that will enhance the practise nurses’ role when working with people with diabetes. Practice nurses can expect to gain additional confidence to provide simple, clear, nutrition messages appropriately tailored to individual patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

The course will demonstrate ways to teach clear nutrition messages using innovative teaching tools. Emphasis will be placed on adapting the message for different cultural groups. A key part of this course involves a health psychologist providing strategies for motivating patients to make healthy food choices, lose weight and begin to self manage.

If you are a practice nurse who educates people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and don’t have a dietitian working along side you then this course is for you. To register go to http://seminarseries.pharmac.govt.nz/seminars.php

Contacts for health professionals 

New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD)

www.nzssd.org.nz

NZSSD is an incorporated society that is open to people involved in the care of people with diabetes. It has over 250 members including diabetes specialist physicians, diabetes specialist nurses, podiatrists, dietitians, ophthalmologists, general physicians and clinical, community and industrial health workers.

NZSSD is the national advisory body on scientific and clinical diabetes care and standards. NZSSD's objectives are to promote the study of diabetes and the best standards of care of diabetes in New Zealand. It also provides the national reference source in the subject.

NZSSD holds an annual scientific meeting with local and overseas speakers and presentation of original papers. The executive of NZSSD arbitrates the award of research grants in the field.

NZSSD produces a quarterly newsletter that is mailed or emailed to all members.

The current executive of NZSSD is sitting in Dunedin, New Zealand, and comprises:

Patrick Manning (President), Jim Mann (Chairman), Gavin Hendry (Treasurer), Stephanie Farrand (Secretary)

Executive members: Kirsten Coppell, Victoria Stott, Cate Wilson, Nick Tunnicliff (Industry Representative), Margaret Earle (Diabetes New Zealand representative), Barry Taylor (Paediatric Diabetes Representative), Kirsten Buks (Dietitian Representative)

Secretariat: Victoria Farmer, Chris Booker

Contact details:
NZSSD Executive
c/o Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences
University of Otago
PO Box 913
Dunedin
New Zealand

Tel: 03-470-3805
Fax: 03-474-7641
Email: info@nzssd.org.nz

The subscription year runs from 1 April to 31 March. This is presently NZ$50 per annum and should be made by cheque or electronic payment. Cheques are payable to NZ Society for the Study Diabetes, and should be sent to:

Mr C R Toomath
NZSSD Membership Secretary
292 Turere Lane
Te Awamutu 2400

Tel: 07 871 8922
Fax: 07 871 8992
Email: raytoomath@ihug.co.nz

Electronic payments may be sent to NZSSD, Bank of New Zealand 02-0929-0230665-00 referencing your full name and town/city (to ensure correct identification on our bank statement).

The Diabetes Nurse Specialist Section of New Zealand Nurses Organisation (DNS Section)

The Diabetes Nurse Specialist Section of NZNO is an active and well organized national group representing nurses who have specialised in diabetes.

Full membership of the section is open to nurses who are members of NZNO and also work 20 or more hours per week in diabetes. Associate membership is open to nurses who are members of NZNO and have an interest in diabetes or work less than 20 hours per week in diabetes.

The Section has developed national standards of practice for nurses practicing in diabetes and has a national accreditation process linked to these standards. Accreditation moves from Diabetes Nurse through to Diabetes Nurse Educator (DNE) to Diabetes Nurse Specialist (DNS).

The DNS section produces a quarterly newsletter which keeps its members up to date with funding applications for conference and research grants, local and national diabetes news and events and issues of importance to nurses working in the field of diabetes.

For membership inquiries contact:
NZNO
Wellington Office
Ph: 04 385 0847
Fax: 04 382 9993

Diabetes Special Interest Group (NZDA Diabetes SIG) of the New Zealand Dietetics Association (NZDA)

The Diabetes Special Interest Group of NZDA is a well established national group. It can offer you:

  • Membership of a network throughout New Zealand that can help you communicate with other dietitians working in diabetes
  • The opportunity to give and receive professional support and encouragement
  • The opportunity to share local resources and to be part of processes that establish national consensus in the field
  • A regular newsletter that keeps you in touch with current issues, conference and study day reports, resource development & evaluation, and future events and activities to consider
  • Involvement in one or more annual study days on diabetes related topics

The Diabetes Special Interest Group is working to establish a current register of dietitians working in diabetes. Currently we have 70 + members with an interest in diabetes, most involved in aspects of diabetes clinical practice.
It is also active in advising NZSSD, Diabetes New Zealand and other groups on the nutritional management of diabetes.

How can you join?

If you are a Dietitian, and current member of NZDA, either working in diabetes, or with a special interest in diabetes, you can join this group. Contact:

Convenor

Marilyn Cullens
Diabetes Centre
Christchurch Hospital
550 Hagley Avenue
Christchurch
ph: 03 354 0860
fax: 03 364 0171
email: marilyn.cullens@cdhb.govt.nz

New Zealand Dietetic Association (NZDA)

www.dietitians.org.nz

The New Zealand Dietetic Association (NZDA) is the national association of the dietetic profession and currently represents over 550 dietitians and associated professionals practising in diverse areas of dietetics throughout New Zealand. The NZDA aims to ensure that members are recognised as the most credible source of food and nutrition knowledge within New Zealand, and to promote good health through appropriate food and nutrition, based on sound scientific research. For members with a particular interest in diabetes, NZDA has a very active diabetes special interest group (SIG) as well as other SIG groups covering topics such as gastroenterology, paediatrics, older peoples and public health.

The key goals of the Association are to sustain a strong and active membership by continuing to develop benefits offered to members, to enhance the profile of the dietetic profession, and to provide professional support to members to help strengthen their professional performance.

Activites of NZDA are diverse and include:

  • Promotion of good nutrition through the media
  • Advocating for the dietetic profession and on food and nutrition issues at policy making level with governmental and non-governmental organisations through submissions and through collaborations with a wide range of groups for example the Obesity Action Coalition, Allied Health Professional Associations Forum (AHPAF) and PSA
  • Organisation of a national annual conference
  • Production of numerous publications including a biannual journal, the Journal of the New Zealand Dietetic Association, a bimonthly newsletter for members, conference proceedings, position papers on a range of nutrition and food related issues, and a clinical handbook for dietitians
  • Providing information on food and nutrition to both members and the general public through the NZDA website www.dietitians.org.nz
  • Providing membership services such as job advertisements on the website, special interest groups, position statements and professional practice policies and advice on professional matters
  • Developing partnerships with key stakeholders and industry colleagues to promote good nutrition amongst the population of New Zealand
  • Administration of a number of awards and grants that are available for members for their further professional development

If you would like to become a member of NZDA you can contact their Executive Officer, Carole Gibb, for further information at:
PO Box 5065
Wellington
Email: nzda@xtra.co.nz
Ph: 04 473 3061
Fax: 04 473 3062

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