Governors’ update Become a member of the RFL and help make a difference Become a member of the RFL for free if you live in England, are 16 or over, or are a carer for a patient that is under 16 years old. By becoming a member, you’ll be able to stand for election as a RFL governor or elect governors to represent your interests, keep up to date with latest developments and news and be invited to events about your local health services. More information can be found on our website, or you can email rf.membership@nhs.net 10 11 Shaping a smarter approach to frailty Meet your new governors In the race to stop type 1 diabetes in its tracks Frailty – one of the biggest challenges facing the NHS – was our focus as we launched the 2026 Medicine for Members programme. Chaired by elected patient governor, Richard Helyer, the event brought together more than 90 patients, colleagues and members of the public to explore how the trust is reshaping frailty care through innovation, partnership and a focus on patient experience. If you missed the event, you can catch up on the RFL website. Maurice Cohen, divisional director for integrated medical specialities and therapy and clinical director for the London Frailty Network, opened the session by defining frailty and highlighting the profound impact it can have on patient outcomes. He also spoke about the growing importance of neighbourhood care, showing how shifting resources, expertise and support into the community can help more people receive safe, effective care in their own homes. Dev Chauhan, clinical lead for geriatric medicine and lead for the frailty clinical practice group, explained how the RFL is working to reduce variation and improve outcomes through its frailty clinical pathway. This work brings together multidisciplinary teams from across the trust to share best practice, develop consistent approaches and embed equity at every stage of frailty care. Get to know some of your newly elected public governors. • David Hawley is a partner in the world’s largest professional services firm, where he has spent over 30 years advising companies on their strategy and governance. David has been a RFL patient for several decades and is committed to ensuring the trust continues to provide world class care to its local communities. • Jennifer Boateng is a support worker and is actively engaged in promoting public initiatives aimed at enhancing community wellbeing. She was previously a general advice volunteer for the Citizens Advice Bureau. • John Orr is a chartered structural engineer and Professor of Structural Engineering at the University of Cambridge. He is passionate about how the design of spaces we use impacts our health and improving patient experience. • Melike Koymen has over nine years’ experience working in local government as well as the voluntary sector. She is dedicated to ensuring the voices of our local communities are heard and helping inform the trust’s decision-making process. Every few days Gabriella Fiddler patiently makes the journey from her home in Hendon to the RFH. The 22-year-old, who has type 1 diabetes, attends the Clinical Research Facility (CRF) as part of a potentially ground-breaking study. Professor Lucy Walker, from the UCL Institute for Infection Immunity and Transplantation (IIT), who is chief scientific investigator for the SMART study, said there are reasons for hope in the type 1 community as teplizumab has been shown to delay the need for insulin by an average of three years. She said: “The landscape is really starting to change. For the first time we are attempting to stop the immune response that destroys insulin-producing cells, rather than just replacing insulin by injection. The hunt is now on to develop even more effective treatments to delay onset even further and that’s what we’re aiming to do.” one. Participants also have regular blood tests and their lymph nodes are sampled. Lucy said: “Although some immune cells are in the blood, most are contained in the lymph nodes. I want to understand how the treatment is affecting the nodes, not just the blood, and to see whether this can be used for monitoring response to treatments. The combination therapy being tested was developed by the research team in the Pears Building next to the RFH. It’s truly home-grown research.” In the future, treatments like these may be offered to people even before they develop symptoms of type 1 diabetes. By intervening early, it may be possible to prevent the condition from developing, which the trust is contributing to through the ELSA screening study. The principal investigator on the SMART study, Dr Sarah Ali, said: “It’s an exciting time for type 1 diabetes research as treatment is on the cusp of change. The trust can be very proud of the work taking place in this area.” Gabriella said: “I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2022. A couple of months before I ended up in hospital I’d started to feel weak, tired and even struggling to breathe. Luckily, I was at home when I collapsed and my dad called an ambulance. I’d gone into diabetic ketoacidosis and would have died if I hadn’t been diagnosed and treated quickly. I got an insulin pump and although that has made life easier it’s still a massive adjustment. “I believe we might be able to find a cure for type 1 in my lifetime and even if it’s just for those who are newly diagnosed, playing a part in that makes me feel good.” The hunt is now on to develop even more effective treatments to delay onset “ “ Staff involved in the SMART study David Hawley Richard Heyler Maurice Cohen Dev Chauhan John Orr Jennifer Boateng Melike Koymen Gabriella Fiddler Twenty-four patients are being recruited to the SMART study which is open to people with type 1 diabetes aged 18 to 50 who were diagnosed in the last five years. The study involves a new combination therapy: the first drug is given as an infusion four times over two months. The second drug is self-administered as an injection twice a week over 16 weeks. Half of the participants receive both drugs and the others just The evening wrapped up with an energetic and interactive Q&A session, giving attendees the chance to join the conversation and put their questions directly to our speakers. It covered topics from pressure ulcer prevention to hospital‑at‑home services, neighbourhood care timelines and how frailty services adapt as needs progress. Both speakers emphasised the importance of compassionate, person‑centred care, strong leadership and involving patients and carers in service design.
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