Diabetes specialist recognised as a Top 50 influential GP

A Leicester-based doctor who specialises in diabetes care has been named one of the most influential family GPs in the country.
Professor Kamlesh Khunti, who works as a family doctor in Hockley Farm, Leicester, was included in Pulse magazine’s fourth annual list of the top 50 general practitioners who are regarded as the most influential on the professio, the NHS and government policy.
The 50-year-old, who is also professor of diabetes and cardiovascular medicine at the University of Leicester, has been leading the way in UK diabetes care and prevention.
Together with his colleague, Prof Melanie Davies, Prof Khunti has been instrumental in developing two nationally recognised diabetes education programmes.
One, called Desmond (Diabetes, education and self management for ongoing and diagnosed) is aimed at helping people with type 2 diabetes manage their condition, and is also now used by health professionals in Western Australia.
The other is called Dafne, which stands for dose adjustment for normal eating, and is designed to improve adult management of type 1 diabetes.
In addition, Prof Khunti has also held the role of Chairman of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) this year, which has involved overseeing the development of guidelines that encourage doctors to check all patients over the age of 40 for diabetes mellitus.