Part one: An introduction to pancreatic cancer and diabetes 

Part one – an introduction to pancreatic cancer and diabetes – is aimed at all health professionals supporting and caring for people with diabetes and pancreatic cancer. As such, this means the audience for this course is broad.

The course aims to increase understanding of diabetes and pancreatic cancer where there is often intersection between job roles (such as HPB CNSs and DSNs). It aims to increase your knowledge and understanding of pancreatic cancer related diabetes to help you deliver your role in the best way possible.

There may be some areas of the course that feel very familiar to you, and other areas that feel new or less familiar. It is important we cover the full spectrum to ensure everyone finishes the course with a good understanding and knowledge of diabetes in pancreatic cancer.

• Increase your knowledge and understanding of pancreatic cancer
• Increase your knowledge and understanding of diabetes
• Increase your knowledge and understanding of the relationship between diabetes and pancreatic cancer
• Grow your confidence in supporting patients with diabetes and pancreatic cancer

There will be a short quiz toward the end of the course to test your knowledge of the course content.

You will receive a CPD certificate of completion at the end of course.

Our courses are mapped to the ACCEND framework. Find out more about ACCEND.

This course supports the following ACCEND Capabilities in Practice:

• 5. 5 Progress care, recognising that reducing symptoms, restoring and maintaining function and independence, and improving quality of life all form clinical outcomes and meaningful goals of treatment
• 6. 1 Provide information and advice appropriate to the needs, priorities and concerns of individuals
• 7. 4 Access information from a range of resources, and use them to meet the individual needs of service users, translating clinically related topics into language which is understandable both for individuals to self-manage effectively and for the development of patient information
• 14. 1 Understand the complexities of working with people who have cancer +/- other clinical conditions including physical, psychological, spiritual and psychosocial
• 17. 5 Promote the importance of a healthy diet and nutritional requirements to reduce the impact of cancer-related symptoms
• 18. 1 Recognise common symptoms and oncological emergencies
• 18. 2 Assess and recognise treatment-related and disease related symptoms relevant to own area of practice screen for all these symptoms
• 19. 4 Provide specialist interventions and advice to support symptom management including complex symptoms arising from cancer, cancer treatment and late effects
• 24. 2 Engage in self-directed learning, critically reflecting on practice to maximise advanced clinical skills and knowledge, as well as own potential to lead and develop both care and services locally and regionally.

Of those who have taken the course to date:
– 99% rated it good or excellent
– 99% reported their knowledge and understanding increased
– 99% would recommend to a colleague

“Really informative in bite size pieces.” Practice nurse

“Learning the role as new in post, all the information has been very beneficial to my understanding” UGI/HPB CNS

Do I need to complete part one of the course in one go?

No. You can start the the part one course and come back to it later to complete it. The course will remember your progress. You can take it over multiple sessions.

Can I get CPD from taking this module?

Yes. This course is CPD certified. On completion of the course you will receive a certificate with the CPD stamp which you can use for revalidation.

Do I need to take all six parts of this course?

You can pick and choose which parts of the course you would like to take (other than this one, part one, which is mandatory). We recommend taking all six parts, however, it’s your choice and you’ll receive a CPD certificate for each part completed.

We would like to thank the following people who wrote, reviewed and tested this online course, in addition to our Pancreatic Cancer Specialist Nurses: 

Authors 

• Anna Burton, Senior Specialist Pancreatic Dietitian, Leeds Teaching Hospital 
• Laura McGeeney, Diabetes Specialist Dietitian, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
• Vicki Alabraba, Education & Research Associate and Diabetes Specialist Nurse, University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust (until December 2024) and Clinical Education and Training Specialist, Insulet International Ltd 

Reviewers

• David Jones, Senior Diabetes Specialist Nurse, OCDEM, OUH, Churchill Hospital, Oxford
• Ellen Lyell, Specialist Dietitian, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle 
• Makylah Lavender, Lead Diabetes Specialist Nurse, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
• Philip Johnston, Consultant in Endocrinology and Diabetes, Regional Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes, Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast 
• Rachel Ewing, Advanced Practice Diabetes Dietitian, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust 

User testers

• Danielle Glynn, UHP Diabetes Planned Surgery Specialist Nurse, University Hospitals Plymouth
• Emma Glastonbury, Diabetes Specialist Nurse, Bedford Hospital
• Katie Hodkinson, Macmillan Upper GI CNS, Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS
• Margaret Palmer, Diabetes Specialist Nurse, Leeds Teaching Hospitals
• Rosie Forrest, UGI/HPB CNS, Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS
• Sarah Kimber, UGI CNS, University Hospitals Sussex
• Yvonne Steele, HPB CNS, UHB NHS Trust

Videos: People affected by pancreatic cancer who shared their experience

• Mark Rixon
• Sally Pascall
• Sharon Marks