Diabetes

Who are we?

The diabetes specialist nursing team are a clinically-led service that provides care to adults and children with type 1 diabetes, or those with type 2 diabetes who manage their diabetes with Insulin or who are unable to control their diabetes with tablets alone and require injections.

This service is provided to both Shropshire County and Telford & Wrekin residents.

You are likely to meet the following healthcare professionals when using this service:

Adult and Paediatric (child) Diabetes Specialist Nurses
Diabetes Specialist Dietitian
Diabetes Educators

Our services

The following key services are offered by the diabetes specialist nursing team:

Education and skill development so that adults and children can manage to live with the condition to the best of their ability
Specialist advice and support to individuals with diabetes
Education and advice to professional and non-professional staff who care for people with diabetes
Structured Education Programmes STILE for adults with Type 1 diabetes
Structured Education Programme X-PERT for adults with Type 2 diabetes (six week course, one 2½ hour session per week)
Structured Education Programme X-PERT First Steps for adults with type 2 diabetes (one 2½ hour session)

The people we see

The service normally sees adults and children with Type 1 Diabetes or those with Type 2 Diabetes using Insulin or requiring Insulin therapy.

We also see adults with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes wishing to attend Structured Education Programmes - which help them live with their long term health condition easier.

New patients

Please be aware that while there is no age restriction to this service, the service does vary depending on the age of the service user; for instance, care of children is provided via a different model.

New patients are referred into the services by an accredited referrer, i.e. GP, Practice Nurse, Community nurses or by Acute Care Teams by means of a specialist referral form. Patients cannot refer into the service themselves, they need to be referred in by an accredited referrer.

Existing patients

Existing patients can contact the service directly for help and support – they do not need further referral by a health professional.

Services we do not offer

We do not see or offer routine diabetes care and individual appointments for patients with Type 2 diabetes not on maximum oral agents to regulate their diabetes.

What you should bring with you

Blood glucose monitoring equipment and test results/diary
Injectable therapies
List of oral medications
Glasses and hearing aids
Hypoglycaemia treatment (if required)

Frequently asked questions

Do you see all patients with Type 2 Diabetes?: Not individually unless they need to start injectable therapies although all patients with Type 2 Diabetes can attend our X-PERT Education Programme.
Do you provide training to care homes?: Not on an individual basis but we run courses specifically for carers.

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and our "Local Offer"

What is the Local Offer?

The local offer provides information for children and young people with special educational needs (SEND) and their parents or carers in a single place. You can find out more about information about this on our SEND reforms and Local Offers page.

Service Description

We serve the population of Shropshire and North Powys and provide care for all children diagnosed with diabetes and their families. This care involves teaching skills and knowledge in the management of their condition and working in close partnership so that they can achieve the best possible outcomes for themselves as individuals.

We provide education, skills and knowledge to the child and all involved in their daily lives to enable them to gain independence in self-managing their condition. This is continuous from diagnosis to the time they leave paediatric care as adults at age 19. Our services are inclusive and are age and development tailored.

What do you provide to children and young people with an additional need and or disability 0-25yrs?

We provide services as above to all children aged 0-19 years.

Do you provide support for parents and carers?

Yes, as diabetes affects the whole family in all aspects of the child’s life including schools, colleges and residential care homes

Who can use our service? Age? Disability?

Patients with a diagnosis of diabetes (both Type 1 and Type 2) who are resident in Shropshire and North Powys, aged 0-19 years.

Once a diagnosis of diabetes has been made, there is open access to our service.

How to access our service (inc. referral routes)

Referrals are immediate at the time of diagnosis via local secondary care providers. Alternatively when children with pre-existing diabetes move into the area either with their families or into boarding schools or are placed in the county as a looked after child.

There is no cost for the service, the referral system is via the diabetes consultants in secondary care or General Practitioner.

When and where is our service available?

Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm except Public Holidays

Services are delivered in the patient’s own home or usual place of residence, nurseries, pre-schools, school, college, and holiday and after-school clubs.

In-reach into secondary care settings to provide training to the staff (doctors, nurses).

As a team we are based at William Farr House in Shrewsbury but cover the whole of Shropshire and North Powys. Standard service delivery across the county.

How to find out about the service

Website, GP practice, any health or social care professional.

Introduced at diagnosis or at initial out-patient appointment on arrival into the county. Boarding school or patient’s previous Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse will also refer into our service

How can families contact the service?

Patients and families have our central telephone number 01743 277696, our work e-mail addresses and have 24 hour access to the Paediatric wards at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals.

For external agencies: is the service free or charged?

External training is provided to support workers and providers pertaining to the individual patient

Is the service accredited? If so, by whom?

How can families complain if they are not happy with the service?

All complaints are handled by our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and Complaints teams.