GIRFT’s joint clinical lead for diabetes – Professor Partha Kar OBE – has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the National B.A.M.E Health and Care Awards.
Professor Kar, a consultant in diabetes and endocrinology at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust and NHS England GIRFT Type 1 diabetes and technology lead, was announced as the recipient of the award after the B.I.D.E Workforce Summit in London last week. He was recognised for his work to progress race equality in the NHS workforce.
The National B.A.M.E Health & Care Awards and the B.I.D.E Workforce Summit are organised to promote equity, leadership and representation across UK health and social care. Now in their sixth year, the awards honour individuals, teams and organisations who are working to break barriers and build more inclusive systems.
Professor Kar said:
“I am very grateful for this humbling honour. The gesture is very much appreciated, as are all the kind words I have received. I hope this shows that it is possible to speak up for what you believe in in the NHS, to keep your integrity, and to be recognised by your peers for doing so.”
Professor Kar joined the GIRFT programme in 2017 and, alongside Professor Gerry Rayman, visited more than 100 trusts in England as part of a national review of diabetes services – examining data, sharing good practice and noting unwarranted variation – culminating in the 2020 publication of the GIRFT national report for diabetes.
In 2020, he was appointed as NHS England’s national specialty advisor for diabetes and obesity, and was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to people with diabetes, in the New Year Honours list 2021.
Among his work, he has helped enable access to freestyle libre in the NHS, as well as ensuring continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is now widely available for all Type 1 diabetes patients.
He has also led on developing the Language Matters document along with the Type 1 diabetes information portal on NHS Choices.
