Diabetes Specialist Nursing
Overview
The Community Diabetes Service (NEHF&SH) team includes a Consultant Diabetologist, Diabetes Nurse Consultant, Diabetes specialist nurses, and admin support.
Our aim is to provide expert care to people with diabetes to help empower them to self-manage their condition and maintain a high-quality lifestyle.
We are community-based, working predominantly in primary care and also with our secondary care colleagues in hospital. We support people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes acute and/or ongoing problems with their diabetes management.
We also offer Diabetes Structured Education Programmes for people with Newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes e.g.:
DESMOND (diabetes education and self-management for ongoing and newly diagnosed) for all newly diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes living in NEHF area, relatives, and carers. The programme provides patients with more information about their diagnosis and the skills to be able to better self-manage their diabetes. The course is delivered in small groups over one full day facilitated by trained educators at local venues.
X-PERT is a nationally recognised structured group education programme for people with type 2 diabetes living in Surrey Heath, their relatives and carers. The programme is held for two and a half hours over six days, on consecutive weeks. The sessions are interactive and aim to help participants develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to manage their diabetes and make informed decisions about their lifestyle.
Who can access this service?
- Registered with GP Surgeries across NEHF&SH Localities (the patient must have a clear diagnosis of diabetes before accessing service)
- Patients with Diabetes not achieving HbA1c targets
- Patient with recurrent Hypoglycaemia
- Patient who requires Insulin initiation (when insulin competency is not present in the practice)
- Patient who requires Insulin intensification
- Patient who requires initiation of GLP-1 agonists
- Assessment and management of early diabetes complications
- Home visits – Private homes, Residential and Nursing Homes
- Patients receiving intermittent steroid therapy
- Step-down care for diabetes management from hospital
This service isn’t suitable for:
- Children and adolescents.
- People with severe and/or unstable complications of diabetes, or with new symptoms or complications that require immediate medical attention.
- Pregnant women with a diagnosis of established or gestational diabetes. In this situation, these should be referred to Tier 4 services at local acute Trusts e.g., Frimley Park Hospital
Is patient self-referral available?
For patient’s referral, we require a complete referral form from a Health Care Professional, such as your GP, Practice Nurse, District Nurses sent to the Single Point of Access (SPA) email: frimleyccg.shspa@nhs.net telephone: 01276 539660.
What can I expect from the service?
When you are referred to us, we will triage the referral and offer you an appointment with the most suitable team members. Appointments are provided in local clinics across the localities. Home visits are available to house bound patients and where they meet the relevant criteria on assessment.
Your first appointment will consist of an assessment to identify your needs. We may ask you to bring a food diary and your blood glucose monitor/monitoring diary showing records of any blood glucose monitoring that you currently do.
We will then work with you to decide on treatments. This may include further education, dietary advice, changes to medications, or further tests. The number of appointments you will have will depend on your requirements. During your care with us we will keep your GP up to date.
What does the service expect from me?
We would like you to be fully involved with planning your care and setting goals. Helping you to self-manage your diabetes is the key to improving your health. We will work with you to help you understand your condition fully and decide on the best treatment.
If you are unable to make an appointment date, please contact us as soon as possible to rearrange. This save’s time and money and allows us to rearrange an alternative appointment convenient for you.
Is there a cost for this service?
You do not have to pay a fee to attend our service. Your local clinical commissioning group pays for this service to be provided to local people.
What happens when my treatment ends?
We will discharge you back to the care of your GP. We will send them a report of your care with us and recommend further management plan. They will then manage your Diabetes routinely. They can refer you back to us if required in the future.
Service Opening Times
The service is available from 09.00-17:00, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays and weekends) by appointment.
Location of the Diabetes Services
We run clinics at the various GP Surgeries across Surrey Heath, Farnham and Northeast Hampshire localities:
Camberley Health Centre
159 Frimley Road
Camberley
Surrey
GU15 2QA
Telephone: 01483908187
email: frimleyccg.shspa@nhs.net
Farnham Hospital Outpatients Department
Hale Road
Farnham
Surrey
GU9 9QL
Telephone: 01483908086 or 01483908187
email: frimleyccg.shspa@nhs.net
Aldershot Centre For Health
Hospital Hill
Aldershot
Hampshire
GU11 1AY
Telephone: 01483908086 or 01483908187
email: frimleyccg.shspa@nhs.net
Fleet Community Hospital
Church Road
Fleet
GU51 4LZ
Telephone: 01483908086
email: frimleyccg.shspa@nhs.net