Diabetes Working Group - A refreshing change?

[hyper-Suze]

So just a quick thread before I leave this morning as I am off to a Diabetes Working group with the Commissing Board(or something) of our local hospital trust - Telford & Shropshire to give feedback and discuss our treatments and general liasion with the healthcare system relating to the big D.

...I am wondering if this is a refreshing change that is much needed and where I can feedback important things such as the basic 9 tests(as mentioned a few days ago), the education of ignorant people and the media's involvement in this and their recent damaging comments, etc

...or am I going to this hoping for too much and is the trust just trying to re-invent the wheel!!!!

I'll report back later as to what was said...I'm very intrigued...at least I get a free lunch out of this!!!!!!!😛

 

[Northerner]

I hope that the day goes well and that the free lunch is carb-friendly 🙂 I've been put forward for a similar thing by my consultant, so it will be interesting to hear how it goes.

 

[hyper-Suze]

The meeting was interesting, as the move for the budgets and the decisions are now made and held by GP's rather than the trusts, the clinical team want to know which services to put more money into, the whole focus group were in agreeance that education and knowledge was paramount. We have funding for a dietician which has never been filled, primarily because the NICE guidelines are too restrictive for a dietician to work with. The clinical team wanted to know if a dietician was important or to use the funding for something else. I stated that I would imagine a percentage of the diabetic population would not want to be 'told' how to eat or critisied of their diet as many of us think we know it all, and information is always at our fingertips if needed on internet, libraries etc. Plus for a sole dietician to cover the rural and wide area of Shropshire would dilute any good work done as resources would be stretched. I suggested that there be HCA(health care assistants) who get trained up as Diet and Healthcare Champions where each surgery will have one to work alongside diabetics, T1 & T2. The team really liked this idea...Gold Star for me!!

Personally I felt that there was a big, huge gap in support for young adults (18-30's if you like!) as they miss out the children support services and young adults don't want to sit in a clinic and feel the odd one out. This was my personal experience and why I fell off the radar and failed years of appointments. Given the increased trends that social networking gives, such as this site for one, I have always wanted to set up a way for young t1's to mix together, I feel the freedom to use social networks as and when one wishes and to offer as much or as little info is perfect for that demographic.

The other thing to come out of the meeting was the clinical teams proposed new framework for GP's to follow as at the moment in our area, communication between GP's, DSN's, hospitals are not great. I liked their idea of tiering patients and without going into it too much, this seemed more for the benefit of T2's.

I realise this thread is not of much relevance for many as they do not fall under the Telford/Shrewsbury trusts but if people are invited to give their views at focus groups I encourage all to go, if we don't speak up and represent then we can't complain when changes are made as the opportunity to contribute would have been there for you but passed you by...

 

[Northerner]

Thanks for the update Suze, very interesting 🙂

 

[Monica]

Sounds very good, I hope they will take it on board 🙂

 

[trophywench]

My lot don't feel they need to focus an different groups specifically hence they lump all long term conditions together and nobody gets heard. They can therefore say they've aske dus for inout so that covers their back.

Funnily enough, I don't actually know much about deaf or blind people or even those with COPD or Aspergers syndrome, but anyway I shouldn't think what they need is anywhere near what I need - like no more than 100 strips at a time for instance, which is the latest pearl of wisdom they've issued to GPs that affects 'us'.

I know one who is ignoring that - at least for one patient, anyway!

But I'm pretty sick of them talking the talk when it seems they don't even have the WILL to walk the ruddy walk. Actually I'm incandescent and I certainly don't need to attend another meeting when the head of this arm of the PCT keeps referring to something called 'Mild Diabetes' and can't understand why I don't like it, even though I explained it's like pregnancy - ie you either are or you ain't, end of. I ventured to suggest he might like to educate himself before he addresses a roomful of experts and shows his ignorance again. He didn't like that and got quite shirty in fact! LOL

He now thinks I have an axe to grind. Guess where I'd like to grind it, readers!

Think I'll move to Telford, I was very impressed with their A&E and their expertise with hypos! (Sadly I can't say the same about Shrewsbury ....) and what they are doing sounds like a darn good idea and very promising!