STAFF at a Pendle GP surgery have been nominated for a prestigious national award for their work for diabetes patients.

Dr Rahul Thakur, who joined Colne Family Doctor’s practice in 2015, and nurse Cheryl Goulding will compete nationally for Diabetes Team of the Year at the General Practice Awards.

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The team was shortlisted for strong engagement with patient population locally and also with patients nationally.

The team also developed a social media platform for diabetes patients regularly updating patients on the forum.

East Lancashire’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has welcomed the nomination.

A spokesman for the CCG said: “Dr Thakur, who runs a weekly clinic worked in general practice at Norwich and London before moving to Lancashire and has continuously been liaising with other GP colleagues and keeping them up to date with changes in diabetes care that is happening across East Lancashire.

“The Pendle-based team has been actively providing enhanced care in diabetes and since this team began working in the practice, there have been no new referrals made to secondary care for diabetes care from within the practice.”

The General Practice Awards will be held at the Lancaster London Hotel on Thursday, November 24, and are designed to recognise, highlight, and reward the hard work and innovation that gets carried out every day in surgeries up and down the UK.

The Colne Family Doctor’s practice, which is based at Colne Health Centre in Craddck Road, is also run by Dr Nazeen Begum and Dr arun Kumar Jha.

Last year the GPs and staff achieved the Royal College of General Practitioners Quality Practice Award.

According to the NHS’ website, Dr Thakur has a special interest in diabetes and his long-term goal is to enhance the management of chronic diseases.

Mrs Goulding also has a special interest in diabetes.

Last week it was announced that staff from Darwen Health Centre have also been nominated for prestigious national awards.

The practice was shortlisted under three different categories including Practice Manager of the Year, Nursing Team of the Year and Clinical Team of the Year.

Practice manager Ann Neville was nominated from several of the 44 staff members at the James Street West health centre, including Dr Penelope Morris, who said she has made an ‘enormous difference’.