Barnstaple Area Re-education, Nutrition and Insulin (BARNI)
BARNI is a structured education programme for patients with type 1 diabetes.
It is run by the Diabetes Specialist Nurses and Diabetes Specialist Dietitians at North Devon District Hospital.
BARNI has been devised, in line with NICE guidelines, to teach patients with type 1 diabetes the lifestyle skills needed to manage their diabetes in the best way possible.
Diabetes is a complex condition. Most day to day decisions (including food choices, activity levels and the taking of medication or insulin) which affect blood glucose levels are made by the person with diabetes. As such, people with diabetes are responsible for managing their own condition. People with diabetes require knowledge and skills to enable them to understand the effects of lifestyle on their diabetes. They also need information on the consequences of poor control.
This is why we developed the BARNI programme.
To be referred to the BARNI course patients must be on a basal bolus insulin regimen and have an interest in carbohydrate counting. Patients can be referred by their G.P, practice nurse, diabetes specialist nurse or diabetes specialist dietitian. Prior to attending BARNI the patient will be asked to attend a one to one clinic appointment with the diabetes specialist nurse to review their current management of their diabetes.