Wendy Barber has received the Edith Elliot Honour in recognition of her significant and sustained personal commitment and contribution to the profession for over five years in the field of paediatric diabetes dietetics, both locally in the East Midlands and nationally.
As a Children’s Specialist Diabetes Dietitian and Operational Lead at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust and National Education Lead on the BDA Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Sub-Group, she has been a driving force behind the development of local and national diabetes competency frameworks and patient resources.
Wendy has been instrumental in leading the set-up of the East Midlands Diabetes Network for dietitians, advocating for colleagues, giving them a voice in multi-disciplinary team discussions and providing supervision and support. Her expertise and guidance has enabled the development and improvement in diabetes services and patient care for young people and their families living with diabetes in the East Midlands.
Wendy is widely acknowledged for her generosity in sharing knowledge, time, and mentorship, fostering leadership and skill development in paediatric diabetes dietetics. Her leadership, advocacy, and dedication to paediatric diabetes dietetics have had a lasting impact.
Wendy shared what receiving this honour means to her.
What does it mean to you to receive the Edith Elliot honour?
When I received the notification that I was being awarded the Edith Elliot honour, I was completely humbled and overwhelmed, and this was quickly followed by feelings of disbelief and 'I'm just doing my job!'
It also signalled a time when I had decided to move from clinical work into management, and it was emotional to achieve that transition, thinking I had received a nomination for contributions to children's diabetes. Everything I have learnt from 18 years of clinical practice will hopefully set me in good standing for my next career chapter.
What drove you to become a dietitian in the first place and be where you are today?
I moved south from north east Scotland to study Sport and Biology and the local NHS Trust let me do a placement in the dietetic department as I had particularly enjoyed sports nutrition modules. The importance of nutrition was becoming more apparent as I was selected to represent GB in athletics.
Whilst in the department I enjoyed being on the acute wards and shadowing the teams working clinically. I went on to do a post-grad qualification and absolutely loved paediatrics. I spent my whole band 5 job asking when I could apply for a job in paeds!
Who inspires you?
Every patient I have worked alongside with a diagnosis of diabetes, from toddlers to teenagers, has inspired me to be a better dietitian. Their resilience, determination, tolerance and effort are second to none, and it has been a privilege to be part of their diagnosis and lives thereafter.
By working alongside them and their families, I have been able to give guidance and direction to achieve success in managing their condition. They have inspired me to be part of many initiatives, including striving for equitable access to care and technology across the country.
I hope that the inspiration they have given me will migrate over to the teams that I now manage and we can work to deliver change in other clinical areas.
In my personal life, I take inspiration from elite athletes who have reached the pinnacle of their sport. The dedication, commitment and personal self-discipline that is shown inspires me to apply this to my own life. Athletes including Karolina Kluft, Simone Biles, Helen Glover and Laura Kenny have demonstrated excellence in their fields but more recently the achievements by Jasmin Paris have inspired me to do more with my own goals as a working mum.
What advice would you give to future dietitians?
Say yes! Get involved in conversations, participate in quality improvement projects and learn from your peers. There is no need to reinvent the wheel but keep quality and improvement at the forefront. Work hard, be respectful and highlight the profession at any opportunity. I still believe there is a lack of understanding about what a dietitian can do.
What has been the highlight of your dietetic career to date?
Fortunately, I have had several highlights with the majority being achieved by working alongside the most fabulous teams. No achievement was in isolation.
The diabetes team always ensured every voice counts. No matter what role or grade, every voice is important and will add value. This motto secured many achievements including being one of the first teams to participate in the pilot for the RCPCH Diabetes Quality Improvement Programme, to most recently winning the Chairman's Team of the Year for our implementation of a one-stop shop pump start programme. I was also a Dietetic Peer Reviewer for the RCPCH National Diabetes Quality programme.
Working alongside BDA colleagues, we wrote and launched the core competencies for band 6 and 7 dietitians working in paediatrics. This was a brilliant piece of collaborative working, and I feel very proud to have been part of it.
And finally, my personal highlight was being the first dietitian to complete non-medical prescribing at Nottingham University. This course was an eye-opener but allowed me to work alongside our medical colleagues in partnership, particularly in the inpatient settings.
