Diabetes

What You Can Do As A Patient

Working together, we can achieve and maintain responsible management of your diabetes.

Our diabetes team is available to support newly diagnosed and existing patients. Before you leave an appointment, you should have your next one booked. You will probably have blood test forms as well.

We expect you to :

  • Attend your appointments,
  • Have your tests done before your appointment, as advised,
  • Rebook your appointment if you can’t come,
  • Let us know if things are not ok, and
  • Make a face-to-face or phone appointment to discuss.

The majority of patients will have to adjust to taking medication and adapting their lifestyle.

We expect you to:

  • Take your medication as prescribed;
  • Work towards healthy lifestyle choices;
  • Reorder your medication, before it has run out knowing there is a minimum 48 hour turnaround time for prescriptions.
  • Let us know if you have trouble with taking your medication or ordering.

All people need differing types and levels of help and support at different times in their lives. It is of course, the same for those with diabetes.

We expect you to:

  • Let us know should you want more help/input, and
  • Work with us to help you, using an approach that is conducive for you and us.
  • Be able to live healthfully with your diabetes, with the support you need.

What To Expect From The Caversham

If you are newly diagnosed with Diabetes:

Once the diagnosis has been made you will be given an appointment with our specialist diabetic nurse who will examine you and be able to explain more about your condition  and how to treat it  .

You will be referred to an education programme for new diabetics called ‘Desmond’ which we would strongly recommend. You will also be referred for regular eye screening.

The nurse will then advise when you need to come back for review.

If your diagnosis is ongoing:

All diabetics will be offered an annual diabetic check.  This assessment requires TWO separate appointments, one with our health care assistant (HCA) and one with our specialist diabetic nurse.

It is very important that you come to both of these appointments.

Your first appointment will be with our HCA who will check your weight and blood pressure and also assess the health of your feet. The HCA will also take blood tests to check on your blood sugar control. We will also ask you to provide a urine test to check on your kidney function.  

The results of your tests will be checked by your doctor and the diabetic nurse. You will then have an appointment with the nurse to go through your results and answer any questions about your condition and treatment. Together with the nurse, and with the advice of your doctor, a management plan will be agreed. This is the most important part of the assessment.  The nurse will then advise you when your next review should be.

All diabetic patients will be offered an annual review but many patients will also need to be seen more frequently for example if their treatment has been changed.

If you have concerns ab out your diabetes between review appointments please make an appointment with your doctor or nurse.

It is important to attend your appointments as good management of your diabetes will promote better health and will help to prevent diabetic complications. If you have difficulty attending appointments please speak to a member of the reception staff.

For further information and support about living with diabetes have a look at the Diabetes UK Website.