Hosted by the BDA Diabetes Specialist Group
This year's study day looks at how a neurodiversity-informed approach (one that recognises and supports neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism and ADHD) can help address health inequalities in diabetes care. Across the day, speakers will bring together clinical evidence, real-world practice, and lived experience, offering perspectives that are often overlooked in mainstream diabetes care and education.
The programme is aimed primarily at registered UK dietitians, though the topics will resonate with anyone working in diabetes care more broadly. Sessions cover health inequalities in diabetes, food insecurity in adults with type 2 diabetes, ADHD and type 1 diabetes, neurodivergence explored from both a clinical psychology and dietetic perspective, practical guidance on creating easy read resources, and approaches to developing community-based health initiatives.
Throughout the day there will also be plenty of opportunity for networking over breakfast and lunch, alongside regular breaks between sessions.
Important
This is a hybrid event. Please make sure you select the correct ticket type at check out. Remote ticket holders will be sent the live stream link closer to the time of the event.
Speakers
- Dr Ruth Boocock presenting on Identifying and supporting food insecure adults with type 2 diabetes
More about Ruth: Dr Ruth Boocock is a Registered Dietitian and Associate Professor of Knowledge Exchange. With over 30 years’ professional experience, her expertise and research focus on type 2 diabetes, health inequalities and practice‑based learning. She chairs the BDA Quality Standards Committee and is the BDA subject matter expert for the dietetic common assessment tool.
- Alexis Paton presenting on Meeting People Where They Are: Developing Community Health Initiatives with Communities
More about Alexis: I’m Dr. Alexis Paton - a medical sociologist and bioethicist who looks at how society, ethics, and healthcare all connect. I study things like how patients make decisions, why health inequalities exist, and how ethics shape the care people receive. My goal is to help make health systems fairer, more transparent, and better for everyone. As part of this goal I am co-host of the Sick Society podcast and appear regularly in the media. I am the director of the Centre for Health and Society and a Senior Lecturer at Aston University.
- Alison Holloway presenting on Neurodivergence and Diabetes: From Recognition and Understanding to Neuroaffirming Dietetic Practice
More about Alison: Alison Holloway is a UK Registered Dietitian with more than 30 years’ experience, including many years working in specialist diabetes services within the NHS. Now working fully freelance, she provides neuroaffirming dietetic care for neurodivergent adults, particularly those experiencing eating difficulties alongside complex chronic health conditions.
Alongside her clinical practice, Alison provides training and education for health professionals supporting neurodivergent adults with eating and nutrition, including how to adapt dietary management for the complex comorbid health conditions that commonly affect neurodivergent people.
- Rose Stewart presenting on Neurodivergence and diabetes: a crash course for diabetes staff
More about Rose: Dr Rose Stewart is a multi-award winning Consultant Clinical Psychologist working in North Wales. She is the Diabetes Psychology lead for Wales and the chair of the UK Diabetes Psychology Network. She writes guided self-help books for people living with diabetes (the Talking Type 1 range), is a Diabetes UK Clinical Champion and member of the Council of Healthcare Professionals, and lectures at Swansea and Bangor universities. Dr Stewart uses a range of third-wave therapeutic approaches to work with high-risk client groups, and has particular interests in working with young adults, interventions to prevent psychological distress and creating psychologically informed care systems.
- Julia Burdon presenting on Adapting the DESMOND Type 2 Diabetes Programme to meet the needs of the wider communities
More about Julia: Julia Burdon is an Education and Research Associate at the Leicester Diabetes Centre and an HCPC-registered Physiotherapist. She supports the development and implementation of accessible, evidence-based diabetes education and digital health programmes, including DESMOND and NHS Healthy Living. Her interests include physical activity, co-design, accessibility and inclusive self-management support. - Annabelle Green presenting on Making Easy Read resources easy
More about Annabelle: Annabelle is a registered dietitian working at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, supporting people with learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions in North Cumbria. She is also Chair of the British Dietetic Association Learning Disability Subgroup. Through her clinical and professional roles, Annabelle has a particular interest in accessible health communication and ensuring nutrition information is meaningful and usable for people with learning disabilities and other communication needs.
- Jacq Allen presenting on Identifying potential neurodivergence via diabetes management behaviours - the good, the bad and everybody was Kung Fu fighting?
More about Jacq Allen: Dr Jacq Allan is a Clinical and Academic Psychologist specialising in psychological aspects of Type 1 diabetes. Her work spans clinical practice, policy, research, teaching, and service development, with a particular specialism on improving psychological care for people living with diabetes and eating disorders and/ or neurodivergence
Jacq completed her PhD at Birkbeck, University of London, where her research explored the nature of eating disorders in people with Type 1 diabetes as she lectured across several subjects including research methods, child development and health psychology. She subsequently trained as a Clinical Psychologist at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London. She works with Diabetes across the lifespan working in both adult and paediatric settings.
Thank you to our sponsors
Cost
Early bird offer to Diabetes Specialist Group members for face-to-face tickets! Offer ends 6 October.
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Diabetes Specialist Group members:
Early Bird: £65 for in person ticket
Standard ticket: £75 in person or virtual -
BDA members
£115 in person or virtual -
Non members
£135 in person or virtual -
Diabetes Specialist Group Students
Free -
BDA student members
£10
Admin code: SLA
