Excellence in Patient Programmes

Summary of work

Simple Stepsis a disease awareness campaign launched by Thornton & Ross’ Flexitol brand in November 2018, in partnership with Diabetes.co.uk, to help support people with diabetes follow a simple, daily routine to manage the condition of their feet and prevent foot health complications that can arise as a result of diabetes.

We surveyed 1,000 people with diabetes to gather insights, which revealed that many were unaware of the need to follow a simple, daily routine. One in three respondents were unaware of the risks of developing diabetes-related foot complications, and only one in five confirmed they check their foot condition daily.¹We therefore identified ’education’ and ’persuasion’ as key interventions required to change their behaviour.

Simple Steps provides a range of resources, which help people with diabetes take control of their foot health, including:

• A simple, daily foot care routine
• Information on when & how often to visit healthcare professionals
• An educational foot care article authored by specialist, Donna Welch, Principal Podiatrist
• A downloadable leaflet with information about caring for feet
• A video highlighting diabetic foot risks.

¹Results from an attitudinal survey of 1,000 people with diabetes, May 2018. Conducted by 3GEM Research & Insights alongside Thornton & Ross.

Judges' comments

Pegasus and Thornton & Ross delivered a programme which showed how the effective use of insight amongst a clearly defined target audience, and clear benchmarking, could lead to a demonstrable shift in behaviour.  The judges were impressed by its simplicity and clarity in execution.