A DIABETES campaigner has been recognised for his efforts to involve patients more in their medical care.

Bruce Elliot, 53, from Darlington, has lived with type 1 diabetes for 47 years and has worked with health care providers to give patients access to their medical records.

He has now won a “Campaigning and Influencing” award from charity Diabetes UK.

He said: “Giving patients access to their GP records helps create a more transparent and open relationship between the patients and their doctor as well as helping patients to be involved in their care and treatment.

“Through my professional life I realised how vital it is for local healthcare providers to hear the voices of patients. I think it’s important to make conversations about health more personal and to give patients the tools, education and trust to help them to manage their health effectively.”

Having learnt from the work of other GP’s through his role as an education manager in the NHS, Mr Elliot decided to approach his local GP surgery, the Carmel Medical Practice, to discuss the benefits of giving patients more power over their care and treatment.

He also shared his experiences of living with diabetes and the importance of helping patients to take control of their condition via a blog and social media.

Stephen Ryan, Head of the North at Diabetes UK said: “Bruce’s hard work and commitment has helped empower people with diabetes to have a say in their care and to be better equipped to manage their condition more effectively.” Mr Elliot has now qualified for a UK-wide award.