How this will affect the Manx Diabetes patient, and how the relationship between G.P practices, and the Manx Diabetes Centre will be redirected.
    In the UK the theme is “Care in the Community”. As they want more and more diabetics to be cared for in the Community.
    This is because of the new GP contracts.
    The Friends of the Manx Diabetes Centre always alive to the necessities of the Manx Diabetic patient, and at the forefront of care in our community has proposed to the diabetic audit personnel, not just “Care in the Community” but because we are a Nation and an Island, “Shared Care in the Community”, with the Manx Diabetes Centre as its pivotal point, as we cannot do away with the Manx Diabetes Centre or diminish its expertise, or spread that expertise from the Centre back into the community.
    Because we have to move with the times, and because the Friends of the Manx Diabetes Centre recognise the validity of “Shared care in the Community”, the Committee under advisement from Dr Blackman our medical mentor, decided to expand the activities of the Group so that we could continue to lead from the front in the care of our diabetic patients, and help with this “Shared care in the Community” ethos that we were proposing.
    In accordance with our constitution, in that all monies collected by the Group shall be used exclusively on the Isle of Man, for the benefit of the diabetic patient and our medical carers, at the Annual General Meeting we once again showed the way forward, with a motion from Dr Blackman to the effect that: -
    “We should be encompassing the more broad remit of the present Group’s constitution and continue in support of the Manx Diabetic but in a wider sense. The work done now in primary care, by GPs and practice nurses, is continually developing with more staff having received formal training in diabetes care.

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The outgoing Chairman then explained to the meeting that this motion did not present any problems with the way our constitution was couched, as items 1, 2, & 3 of our constitution specifically says,
1)    “to help in the furtherance of the well being of the Manx Diabetic and to facilitate the work of our medical carers”
2)    “To provide support for those who care for sufferers from diabetes”
3)    “To raise money to purchase equipment for the carers of people suffering from diabetes on the Isle of Man”.
    These three rules are the backbone of our constitution and mandate, and the motion did not therefore present a quantum leap from these three rules.
    The Chairman then enumerated the propositions that would arise if the motion was accepted.
1)         We would continue with the Group as it is.
2)         We focus our attention to working with the GP surgeries and the Manx diabetic patient rather than focusing all our efforts and energies on the Centre.
3)         We offer surgery support and where necessary, equipment as approved by your committee under the guidance of your Group’s medical advisor, and that falls within the framework of our constitution.
4)         We shall give support and equipment to the Manx Diabetes Centre when, and if, the Head of the Manx Diabetes Centre so requires, in writing, and the committee and its advisor so agrees.
5)         We would review our constitution to ascertain if any clauses need to be amended, tweaked or added to, to accommodate the new proposals.
6)         Any amendments will be presented at an EGM, to run prior to or following the AGM next May for members approval.
    The Chairman then explained that these proposals would enable the Friends of the Manx Diabetes Centre to continue to function and help the Isle of Man Diabetic and their medical carers, to meet the requirements of the modern day needs of the Manx diabetic patient, and accommodate the “Shared care in the Community” that they had proposed to the Diabetes Audit personnel.