See here for answers to some key questions.
National data shows that North East Essex is not doing well at managing diabetes compared with other parts of the country. By giving one organisation responsibility for most of the service the aim is to improve quality of care for ALL patients.
One of the targets is for everyone to have an annual review that includes the 8 care processes – currently only 58% of people have this.
The 8 care processes should be included in your annual review by your GP.
In the 2011/12 National Diabetes Audit, only 58.8% of people living with diabetes in North East Essex had these checks.
Here are the 8 essential checks:
HbA1c – blood glucose levels
Blood Pressure
Cholesterol
Serum creatinine level – a check to see if kidneys are performing well
Urine albumin – kidneys – a check for the risk of kidney disease
Foot surveillance
Body Mass Index (BMI) – weight check
Smoking status
The 9th care process is retinal (eye) screening – which will be carried out by Health Intelligence
The diabetes specialist team will support GP practices to provide more services in a local community setting, reducing the need for hospital visits. GP practices will provide most of the care and will make referrals, where required, to the diabetes specialist team. Once stable, patients will be discharged back to the care of their GP practice.
A consultant will be part of the diabetes specialist team in the community clinics, which patients will be referred to by their GP as and when necessary. Some patients with complex needs will also see consultants in combined specialist clinics.
Yes it will. Podiatry will be delivered by ACE (Anglia Community Enterprise CIC) as part of the new service. The podiatry clinics will be at community venues alongside diabetes clinics wherever possible
There will be weekly, consultant-led clinics in Clacton, Colchester and Harwich. Other specialist clinics, such as insulin pump and nurse-led clinics will be taking place in a variety of GP practices on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. Clinics will be monitored and changed to meet patient needs.
We are providing incentives, support and diabetes training for GPs and practice nurses, who will be supplemented by the Diabetes Specialist Team.
The services which are NOT included are digital eye (retinal) screening, renal (kidney) services, ophthalmology (hospital eye clinic), prosthetics (artificial limbs) and in-patient care. We will however have close links with the providers of these services and will make referrals.
No. It is about improving the quality of care. The cost of the service remains the same.
