Chris Gumble

Project Manager, Long term conditions team

South West London Health and Care Partnership

2020 Bio: Chris has worked across various settings within the NHS over the last 12 years, including roles within primary, secondary and community care, and is currently a Project Manager for the South West London Health and Care Partnership. Chris works across several innovative projects all designed to move diabetes care forward. He has worked within the diabetes sector for nine years, and has delivered diabetes self-management training across South West London (SWL). He is a keen supporter of adopting technology to improve patient experience and champion innovation in Diabetes / Long Term condition care.

Read Chris’ blog where he describes his experience of working with DigitalHealth.London Accelerator programme company Sweatcoin on the Diabetes Prevention Decathlon project.

You can also read his blog where she shares his experience of adapting a prevention programme to run virtually during COVID-19 and how he used cultural feedback groups to reduce inequalities with the programme.

Digital Pioneer Fellowship project summary: The ‘Prevention Decathlon’ is the next iteration of the successfully piloted ‘Diabetes Prevention Decathlon’ (DPD). The DPD is a successful structured education prevention programme that fuses face-to-face learning delivered by a trained facilitator, physical activity sessions delivered by Harlequins rugby foundation and the usage of an app (Sweatcoin) that incentivises participants to stay active between sessions. The app also provides team leader boards based on steps achieved and offers weekly quizzes to reinforce learning. As well as a face-to-face offering, the Prevention Decathlon is going digital.

The project is to create a dual offer of both virtual sessions delivered via an online platform and a web portal / app that hosts a self-directed learning. The Prevention Decathlon will be delivered in multiple languages, offer pre-recorded activity sessions and will be co-created with members of the community to be adapted so that is culturally appropriate and accessible to those from BAME backgrounds.

Participants will be recruited via GP practices or local community hubs as well as an option for self-referral. The Prevention Decathlon will also create a community alumni of ‘Decathletes’ and link participants to all relevant local prescribing opportunities and community offerings.

Estimated number of patients / staff impacted by the project: It is estimated that 125,000 people are at risk of Type 2 diabetes in SWL, without considering the CVD and Obesity population, the reach can be huge. They hope the digital/virtual offering will be used by around 1000 people within the next twelve months.

Goal(s) for the programme: The programme will be of great benefit to Chris’ personal development and will also be the gateway to making the Prevention Decathlon a reality. The networking opportunities and the mentoring available within the programme will be essential to making this something that could have national appeal and benefit our population.