SERVICES AND CLINICS

Diabetic Clinic

Diabetic Clinic – Friday 9.00-12.00

Run by the Practice Nurses, Dietician and doctor.

Managing Diabetes

Being told that you have diabetes may seem like the end of the world , but in fact it may not be. We are very positive in encouraging a healthy lifestyle, modifying any risk factors, taking appropriate medication and who knows you may even feel better than before.

Newly diagnosed. Once your doctor or nurse has diagnosed diabetes you have the option of going to well organised group education sessions run at Grindon Lane or coming to see Chris/Lisa(our Practice Nurses) for initial education. At Grindon lane they arrange 3 sessions, flexible to fit in with your life. These include education on understanding diabetes, lifestyle, exercise, the importance of looking after your feet and screening for eye problems. It is run by a dedicated team of dieticians, chiropodist and specialists nurses.

Review appointments . These will normally be arranged on Friday morning by Sister Lisa Wickens and will be targeted at any particular problems you have such as blood pressure control, medication, using a BM machine and monitoring targets or results.

Annual check. It is not set in stone that you must have a check every year but it has become a good way to ensure that you have a full MOT at the same time every year. The main purpose of this is see how you are progressing, check for any complications, listen to any concerns that you have, monitor your kidneys, blood pressure, fats in your body etc. and is normally run by Sister Chris Capeling on Friday mornings. Fasting blood tests will be arranged the week before so that we have the results to hand on the day of your check .All the senior doctors within the practice cover the clinic for any problems and are led by Dr Dulson, who has a special interest in diabetes. You will either be given a review appointment with Lisa or for the next annual check.

Dietician. Appointments ideally will be made on the same day as your annual check with Joanna for you to discuss your diet in detail and it may therefore be appropriate to bring your partner/carer along. It is not always possible to arrange them on the same day as we do not have a session every Friday.

Eye and feet screening. Now it is possible to combine your yearly eye check with a foot check. It may seem a bit odd but it works! The IRIS eye screening programme has been running successfully in Sunderland now for a few years and has very good uptake. When you go along you will be asked some basic questions about your diabetes and have a digital photograph taken of the back of each eye. You will receive your own copy updated every year on a CD and your images will be reported on over the following couple of weeks and the findings will be sent to you by post. At the same time you will see a foot care health care assistant who will assess your feet for any signs of complications of diabetes and a report will be sent to your GP. They will guide you as to whether or not you need to see the chiropodist more regularly. Routine chiropody care is held at Monkwearmouth Health Centre.

Hospital patients. Certain patients are under the hospital for care of their diabetes, especially children/adolescents and pregnant ladies. They will either receive their care exclusively from the hospital or will be ‘shared’ with their GP.

Insulin. Patients both young and old may be taking insulin injections. The thought of this brings fear to most patients but is actually easier than doing a BM ! Again a lot of patients have traditionally been looked after by the hospital but we are now experienced in starting insulin in type 2 diabetes in the community and monitoring those who are stable and suitable to be discharged from hospital care. Insulin within the practice is overseen by Sister Lisa Wickens and Dr Dulson with the support of Sister Capeling.

Useful contacts for patients

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/