Professor Solomon Tesfaye honoured by top Diabetes UK award

Press Release –

A top diabetes consultant from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals has been chosen to deliver a prestigious national lecture in recognition of improvements he has delivered in patient care.

Professor Solomon Tesfaye, a Consultant Physician/Endocrinologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, and Honorary Professor of Diabetic Medicine at the University of Sheffield, will give the Arnold Bloom Lecture at the Diabetes UK conference in Manchester in March 2017.

The lecture is awarded to a healthcare professional working in diabetes who has contributed significantly to improving the quality of clinical care for people with diabetes.

Professor Tesfaye has undertaken ground-breaking research to help understanding and treatment of the illness. This has included work on treating diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage caused by diabetes which can lead to amputations) and the development of treatments such as electronic spinal cord stimulation.

Professor Tesfaye was nominated by his colleague Professor Simon Heller. Professor Heller delivered the lecture himself in 2012, making it the second time a Sheffield-based expert has been selected.

Professor Tesfaye said: “It really shows that Sheffield is top of the tree when it comes to diabetes services. It is an award not just for me, but the whole team.

“I am particularly honoured that it recognises work that has benefitted patients. Improving the quality of patient care and having the respect of patients is the most important thing for any doctor.”

Professor Tesfaye will speak about his research and philosophy of patient care, and highlight some of the discoveries made in Sheffield.

In his nomination, Professor Heller said: “Solomon is highly dedicated to maintaining high quality care for his patients.

“He has made a major contribution in advancing clinical research into diabetic neuropathy. This has presented many challenges but has allowed him to make discoveries which hold real promise in developing new treatments for this distressing condition.
“I cannot think of anyone more suited to give this lecture.”

In 2014 Professor Tesfaye was the first person from the UK since 2003 to be awarded the international Camillo Golgi Prize, awarded for extraordinary achievements in the treatment and management of diabetes. He is also President of the Sheffield Diabetes UK Group and former chairman of the International Expert Group on Diabetic Neuropathy.

Source: Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation

Profile of Prof. Solomon Tesfaye that appeared in The Lancet Magazine in 2014.