

About YDEF

About YDEF
Young Diabetologists & Endocrinologists’ Forum is the trainee & young consultants’ wing of Diabetes UK and is supported by the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists & Society for Endocrinology.

Ready to Help Change the Way you Learn.
We organise a wide variety of national training events each year, details of which are available on the ‘Courses’ page of this website. These courses are unique and held in high regard; they continue to attract some of the most influential figures in UK Diabetes. Recent speakers have included Professor Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England National Clinical Director for Obesity & Diabetes and Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of NHS England.

Ready to Help Change the Way you Learn.
We organise a wide variety of national training events each year, details of which are available on the ‘Courses’ page of this website. These courses are unique and held in high regard; they continue to attract some of the most influential figures in UK Diabetes. Recent speakers have included Professor Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England National Clinical Director for Obesity & Diabetes and Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of NHS England.
Who we are…
Young Diabetologists & Endocrinologists’ Forum is the trainee and young consultants’ wing of Diabetes UK and is supported by the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists and Society for Endocrinology. We serve three core functions for our members – education, advocacy and support.
Our mission is to enable high quality care for people with diabetes and endocrine conditions by delivering excellence in specialist education and providing an effective voice for our members. We organise a wide variety of national training events each year, the details of which are enclosed in this brochure. These courses are unique and held in high regard; they continue to attract some of the most influential figures in UK Diabetes. Recent speakers have included Professor Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England National Clinical Director for Obesity & Diabetes and Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of NHS England.
The YDEF also represents the interests of specialist trainees at a number of national organisations including the Specialty Advisory Committee (SAC) of the Royal Colleges.
Our key link to our members is through our website www.youngdiabetologists.org (this site) which highlights all of our events along with, information and useful links and is currently generating over 1.5 million hits per year.
Previous Committee Chairs & Current Positions
- Current chair – Najaf Haider
- Current treasurer – Swarupini Ponnampalam
- Current secretary – Giulia Argentesi
- Previous chairs – Clare Whicher, Myuri, Moorthy, Amar Puttanna, Muna Nwokolo, Ali Chakera, Hermione Price, Emma Wilmot, Partha Kar, Milan Piya, Stuart Little, Pratik Choudhary, Jyothis George, Marc Atkin and Dipesh Patel

Peter Jacob
ST6 Trainee- North East London Deanery
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Giulia Argentesi
ST4 Trainee - University College London
ydefpumpcourse @ gmail.com
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She is also an NIHR academic clinical fellow pursuing research into obesity. Her other interests include teaching, particularly for membership exams, and she teaches regularly on the leading professional paces course.

Fahad Arshad
ST6 Trainee - Yorkshire and Humber Deanery
dr.fahadarshad @ live.com
Close Tab Here
More Information
Fahad is a senior endocrine trainee in Sheffield, and is currently out of program doing research. His area of interest in the effect of hypoglycaemia on inflammation and thrombosis. He also works with GMC as an examiner for PLAB exams.

Aasiha Saqib
Trainee - South London Deanery
aaishasaqib @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
Aaisha is currently working as the RCP Chief Registrar in Medway Hospital in Kent as OOPT. She completed her under graduate training from King Edward Medical University, Pakistan in 2010 and moved to UK the same year. After finishing her Foundation Program from South Thames foundation school and Core Medical training in 2016, she has been working as a higher specialist trainee in South London Deanery. She is passionate about quality improvement and clinical leadership and has won two local and one regional award for this.

Anne DeBray
ST6 Trainee - West Midlands
anne.debray @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
Annie graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2012 and is currently a Diabetes and Endocrine SpR in the West Midlands. Her first 3 years of specialty training involved research as part of an Academic Clinical Fellowship where she has explored beta cell function and maturity. She is passionate about teaching, regularly teaching undergraduates and postgraduates (whilst trying to persuade them to choose Diabetes and Endocrinology as their specialty!). She is currently organising the YDEF Obesity and ABC of D&E courses.

Tim Robbins
Academic SpR - West Midlands
t.robbins.2 @ warwick.ac.uk
Close Tab Here
More Information
Dr Tim Robbins is a Diabetes & Endocrine SpR in the West Midlands. He is currently Out of Programme to pursue a PhD with the Institute of Digital Healthcare at The University of Warwick. He is motivated to understand how process changes can improve care for patients with diabetes at both the community and inpatient level. He has a strong interest in medical education and is a Trainee Representative for Diabetes & Endocrine Trainees in the West Midlands.

Becky Sagar
ST3 Trainee - West Yorkshire
rebeccaclaire.sagar @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
She graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2015 and came to Leeds for an academic foundation programme job. She then completed core medical training in Leeds and further developed her interest in Diabetes & Endocrinology. She is currently Out of Programme to complete a Ph.D and also enjoys teaching undergraduate medical students, particularly on their final year D&E rotation.

Najaf Haider
ST7 Trainee - Wessex Deanery
najaf.haider @ porthosp.nhs.uk
Close Tab Here
More Information
Najaf has worked in three different health systems in three countries which gives him a unique vantage point to see how things are done in the NHS. He is interested in how diabetes effects different ethnic populations and neuro-endocrine disorders. A happy dad of two lovely kids and spends most of the free time with family. He is a keen tech enthusiast.

Swarupini Ponnampalam
ST7 Trainee - Whittington Health
rupini.ponnampalam @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
She came to the UK in 2014 from Malaysia and was a clinical fellow in D&E at a DGH in Bristol. She was there for 22 months before applying for NTN in London. She is quite active in delivering teaching to medical students and junior doctors. She hopes to develop this skill and probably dedicate a substantial amount of her time in this in the future.

Meera Ladwa
Research Fellow - South London Deanery
meera.ladwa @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
Meera works in South London and is currently researching ethnic variations in type 2 diabetes. She hopes to use her time with YDEF to support colleagues in difficulty and to help improve the wellbeing of trainees.

Clare Whicher
ST7 Trainee - Wessex Deanery
Close Tab Here
More Information
She graduated from Newcastle University in 2009 and has done all of her clinical training in Wessex deanery. She is currently out of programme to do research looking into severe mental illness, obesity and diabetes! Along with these interests, Clare is passionate about antenatal care, transition care both in an outpatient and inpatient setting and vulnerable patients with diabetes such as homeless individuals.

Tom Crabtree
ST4 Trainee - East Midland Deanery
Who we are…
Young Diabetologists & Endocrinologists’ Forum is the trainee and young consultants’ wing of Diabetes UK and is supported by the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists and Society for Endocrinology. We serve three core functions for our members – education, advocacy and support.
Our mission is to enable high quality care for people with diabetes and endocrine conditions by delivering excellence in specialist education and providing an effective voice for our members. We organise a wide variety of national training events each year, the details of which are enclosed in this brochure. These courses are unique and held in high regard; they continue to attract some of the most influential figures in UK Diabetes. Recent speakers have included Professor Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England National Clinical Director for Obesity & Diabetes and Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of NHS England.
The YDEF also represents the interests of specialist trainees at a number of national organisations including the Specialty Advisory Committee (SAC) of the Royal Colleges.
Our key link to our members is through our website www.youngdiabetologists.org (this site) which highlights all of our events along with, information and useful links and is currently generating over 1.5 million hits per year.
Previous Committee Chairs & Current Positions
- Current chair – Najaf Haider
- Current treasurer – Swarupini Ponnampalam
- Current secretary – Giulia Argentesi
- Previous chairs – Clare Whicher, Myuri Moorthy, Amar Puttanna, Muna Nwokolo, Ali Chakera, Hermione Price, Emma Wilmot, Partha Kar, Milan Piya, Stuart Little, Pratik Choudhary, Jyothis George, Marc Atkin and Dipesh Patel

Peter Jacob
ST6 Trainee- North East London Deanery
Close Tab Here
More Information

Giulia Argentesi
ST4 Trainee - University College London
ydefpumpcourse @ gmail.com
Close Tab Here
More Information
Our current YDEF Secretary, Giulia is also an NIHR academic clinical fellow pursuing research into obesity. Her other interests include teaching, particularly for membership exams, and she teaches regularly on the leading professional paces course.

Fahad Arshad
ST6 Trainee - Yorkshire and Humber Deanery
dr.fahadarshad @ live.com
Close Tab Here
More Information
Fahad is a senior endocrine trainee in Sheffield, and is currently out of program doing research. His area of interest in the effect of hypoglycaemia on inflammation and thrombosis. He also works with GMC as an examiner for PLAB exams.

Najaf Haider
ST7 Trainee - Wessex Deanery
najaf.haider @ porthosp.nhs.uk
Close Tab Here
More Information
Najaf has worked in three different health systems in three countries which gives him a unique vantage point to see how things are done in the NHS. He is interested in how diabetes effects different ethnic populations and neuro-endocrine disorders. A happy dad of two lovely kids and spends most of the free time with family. He is a keen tech enthusiast.

Aaisha Saqib
Trainee - South London Deanery
aaishasaqib @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
Aaisha is currently working as the RCP Chief Registrar in Medway Hospital in Kent as OOPT. She completed her under graduate training from King Edward Medical University, Pakistan in 2010 and moved to UK the same year. After finishing her Foundation Program from South Thames foundation school and Core Medical training in 2016, she has been working as a higher specialist trainee in South London Deanery. She is passionate about quality improvement and clinical leadership and has won two local and one regional award for this.

Swarupini Ponnampalam
ST7 Trainee - Whittington Health
rupini.ponnampalam @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
Our current YDEF Treasurer, Rupini came to the UK in 2014 from Malaysia and was a clinical fellow in D&E at a DGH in Bristol. She was there for 22 months before applying for NTN in London. She is quite active in delivering teaching to medical students and junior doctors. She hopes to develop this skill and probably dedicate a substantial amount of her time in this in the future.

Anne DeBray
ST6 Trainee - West Midlands
anne.debray @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
Annie graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2012 and is currently a Diabetes and Endocrine SpR in the West Midlands. Her first 3 years of specialty training involved research as part of an Academic Clinical Fellowship where she has explored beta cell function and maturity. She is passionate about teaching, regularly teaching undergraduates and postgraduates (whilst trying to persuade them to choose Diabetes and Endocrinology as their specialty!). She is currently organising the YDEF Obesity and ABC of D&E courses.

Clare Whicher
ST7 Trainee - Wessex Deanery
Close Tab Here
More Information
Our current Chair, Clare graduated from Newcastle University in 2009 and has done all of her clinical training in Wessex deanery. She is currently out of program to do research looking into severe mental illness, obesity and diabetes! Along with these interests, Clare is passionate about antenatal care, transition care both in an outpatient and inpatient setting and vulnerable patients with diabetes such as homeless individuals.

Becky Sagar
ST3 Trainee - West Yorkshire Deanery
rebeccaclaire.sagar @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
She graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2015 and came to Leeds for an academic foundation programme job. She then completed core medical training in Leeds and further developed her interest in Diabetes & Endocrinology. She is currently Out of Programme to complete a Ph.D and also enjoys teaching undergraduate medical students, particularly on their final year D&E rotation.

Meera Ladwa
Research Fellow - South London Deanery
meera.ladwa @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
Meera works in South London and is currently researching ethnic variations in type 2 diabetes. She hopes to use her time with YDEF to support colleagues in difficulty and to help improve the wellbeing of trainees.

Tim Robbins
Academic SpR - West Midlands
t.robbins.2 @ warwick.ac.uk
Close Tab Here
More Information
Dr Tim Robbins is a Diabetes & Endocrine SpR in the West Midlands. He is currently Out of Programme to pursue a PhD with the Institute of Digital Healthcare at The University of Warwick. He is motivated to understand how process changes can improve care for patients with diabetes at both the community and inpatient level. He has a strong interest in medical education and is a Trainee Representative for Diabetes & Endocrine Trainees in the West Midlands.

Tom Crabtree
ST4 Trainee - East Midland Deanery
Close Tab Here
More Information
Ready to Help Change the Way you Learn.
We organise a wide variety of national training events each year, details of which are available on the ‘Courses’ page of this website. These courses are unique and held in high regard; they continue to attract some of the most influential figures in UK Diabetes. Recent speakers have included Professor Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England National Clinical Director for Obesity & Diabetes and Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of NHS England.
Who we are…
Young Diabetologists & Endocrinologists’ Forum is the trainee and young consultants’ wing of Diabetes UK and is supported by the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists and Society for Endocrinology. We serve three core functions for our members – education, advocacy and support.
Our mission is to enable high quality care for people with diabetes and endocrine conditions by delivering excellence in specialist education and providing an effective voice for our members. We organise a wide variety of national training events each year, the details of which are enclosed in this brochure. These courses are unique and held in high regard; they continue to attract some of the most influential figures in UK Diabetes. Recent speakers have included Professor Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England National Clinical Director for Obesity & Diabetes and Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of NHS England.
The YDEF also represents the interests of specialist trainees at a number of national organisations including the Specialty Advisory Committee (SAC) of the Royal Colleges.
Our key link to our members is through our website www.youngdiabetologists.org (this site) which highlights all of our events along wit, information and useful links and is currently generating over 1.5 million hits per year.
Previous Committee Chairs & Current Positions
- Current chair – Najaf Haider
- Current treasurer – Swarupini Ponnampalam
- Current secretary – Giulia Argentesi
- Previous chairs – Clare Whicher, Myuri Moorthy, Amar Puttanna, Muna Nwokolo, Ali Chakera, Hermione Price, Emma Wilmot, Partha Kar, Milan Piya, Stuart Little, Pratik Choudhary, Jyothis George, Marc Atkin and Dipesh Patel

Peter Jacob
ST6 Trainee- North East London Deanery
Close Tab Here
More Information
He has worked as a medical registrar in four different national healthcare systems giving him a unique perspective on our current training structure. He is interested in improving access to and delivery of psychological care to people with diabetes, and also healthcare professionals.
Adnan has worked to assess the impact of burnout amongst trainees providing care for patients with complex needs. He loves watching and playing sports, especially cricket.

Giulia Argentesi
ST4 Trainee - University College London
ydefpumpcourse @ gmail.com
Close Tab Here
More Information
She is also an NIHR academic clinical fellow pursuing research into obesity. Her other interests include teaching, particularly for membership exams, and she teaches regularly on the leading professional paces course.

Fahad Arshad
ST6 Trainee - Yorkshire and Humber Deanery
dr.fahadarshad @ live.com
Close Tab Here
More Information
Fahad is a senior endocrine trainee in Sheffield, and is currently out of program doing research. His area of interest in the effect of hypoglycaemia on inflammation and thrombosis. He also works with GMC as an examiner for PLAB exams.

Najaf Haider
ST7 Trainee - Wessex Deanery
najaf.haider @ porthosp.nhs.uk
Close Tab Here
More Information
Najaf has worked in three different health systems which give him a unique vantage point to see how things are done in the NHS. He is interested in how diabetes effects different ethnic populations, use of technology in Diabetes and neuro-endocrine disorders. A happy dad of two lovely kids and spends most of the free time with family. He is a keen tech enthusiast.

Aaisha Saqib
Trainee - South London Deanery
aaishasaqib @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
Aaisha is currently working as the RCP Chief Registrar in Medway Hospital in Kent as OOPT. She completed her under graduate training from King Edward Medical University, Pakistan in 2010 and moved to UK the same year. After finishing her Foundation Program from South Thames foundation school and Core Medical training in 2016, she has been working as a higher specialist trainee in South London Deanery. She is passionate about quality improvement and clinical leadership and has won two local and one regional award for this.

Swarupini Ponnampalam
ST7 Trainee - Whittington Health
rupini.ponnampalam @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
She came to the UK in 2014 from Malaysia and was a clinical fellow in D&E at a DGH in Bristol. She was there for 22 months before applying for NTN in London. She is quite active in delivering teaching to medical students and junior doctors. She hopes to develop this skill and probably dedicate a substantial amount of her time in this in the future.

Anne DeBray
ST6 Trainee - West Midlands
anne.debray @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
Annie graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2012 and is currently a Diabetes and Endocrine SpR in the West Midlands. Her first 3 years of specialty training involved research as part of an Academic Clinical Fellowship where she has explored beta cell function and maturity. She is passionate about teaching, regularly teaching undergraduates and postgraduates (whilst trying to persuade them to choose Diabetes and Endocrinology as their specialty!). She is currently organising the YDEF Obesity and ABC of D&E courses.

Meera Ladwa
Research Fellow - South London Deanery
meera.ladwa @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
Meera works in South London and is currently researching ethnic variations in type 2 diabetes. She hopes to use her time with YDEF to support colleagues in difficulty and to help improve the wellbeing of trainees.

Tim Robbins
Academic SpR - West Midlands
t.robbins.2 @ warwick.ac.uk
Close Tab Here
More Information
Dr Tim Robbins is a Diabetes & Endocrine SpR in the West Midlands. He is currently Out of Programme to pursue a PhD with the Institute of Digital Healthcare at The University of Warwick. He is motivated to understand how process changes can improve care for patients with diabetes at both the community and inpatient level. He has a strong interest in medical education and is a Trainee Representative for Diabetes & Endocrine Trainees in the West Midlands.

Clare Whicher
ST7 Trainee - Wessex Deanery
Close Tab Here
More Information
She graduated from Newcastle University in 2009 and has done all of her clinical training in Wessex deanery. She is currently out of programme to do research looking into severe mental illness, obesity and diabetes! Along with these interests, Clare is passionate about antenatal care, transition care both in an outpatient and inpatient setting and vulnerable patients with diabetes such as homeless individuals.

Becky Sagar
ST3 Trainee - West Yorkshire deanery
rebeccaclaire.sagar @ nhs.net
Close Tab Here
More Information
She graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2015 and came to Leeds for an academic foundation programme job. She then completed core medical training in Leeds and further developed her interest in Diabetes & Endocrinology. She is currently Out of Programme to complete a Ph.D and also enjoys teaching undergraduate medical students, particularly on their final year D&E rotation.

Tom Crabtree
ST4 Trainee - East Midland Deanery

FAQ’s About YDEF
Below are the most common questions answered in advance. We hope it helps you.
How can I contact YDEF?
You can contact us at:
General enquiries: info @ youngdiabetologists.org.uk or twitter @youngdiab
Pump Course Queries: ydefpumpcourse @ gmail.com
Tim Robbins: t.robbins.2 @ warwick.ac.uk or twitter @Dr_Tim_Robbins
Najaf Haider: najaf.haider @ porthosp.nhs.uk or twitter @najafhaider
How old is YDEF?
Can I attend these meetings with or on behalf of a YDEF representative?
Is YDEF free to join?
How can I get more involved with YDEF?
Do we support trainees going to international conferences?
How is YDEF funded?
What meetings or committees do YDEF sit on to represent D&E trainees?

FAQ’s About YDEF
Below are the most common questions answered in advance. We hope it helps you.
How old is YDEF?
Can I attend these meetings with or on behalf of a YDEF representative?
Is YDEF free to join?
How can I get more involved with YDEF?
Do we support trainees going to international conferences?
How is YDEF funded?
What meetings or committees do YDEF sit on to represent D&E trainees?
“The YDEF is an impressive organisation that fills a vital gap for trainees in diabetes by offering them high-quality training opportunities. The YDEF also provides a central voice for specialist trainees that is a powerful source of advocacy for their career interests.”
“The YDEF is an impressive organisation that fills a vital gap for trainees in diabetes by offering them high-quality training opportunities. The YDEF also provides a central voice for specialist trainees that is a powerful source of advocacy for their career interests.”
Become a member today!
Address:
Address: Wells Lawrence House, 26 Back Church Lane, London, UK, E1 1FH
Charity Details:
Young Diabetologists & Endocrinologists’ Forum.
England (no. 215199)
Scotland (no. SC039136)
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