How much care is normal?

[Lizzie]

Hi

Delurking to ask, how much care is normal for an adult t1 diabetic? Do people usually just see a consultant for a 5min appointment annually or is it usual to have more than that? What sort of health professionals should a diabetic be seeing and how often, if they have no complications? And if you feel you are not receiving the care and support you should be, who can you ask about this? Is there anything in law which compels the NHS to give you a standard of care?

Thanks

 

[trophywench]

See

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to.../diabetes_care_and_you/Care_review_checklist/

loads of info on that page and the 15 annual essentials.

The major thing other than the 8 constants on that list (the other 7 only apply in certain circs - eg if you are preg, if you smoke, whatever) is that you should not be consigned to a GP and a surgery nurse. You should have access to a proper expert hospital team. No NOT a 5 min appt once a year. Once a year yes if you have constant embedded really good control - but if not, more often. And 5 minutes? No! half hour slots. Or if it takes longer, then it does. If it's shorter that's a bonus for whoever is after me. Ditto the DSNs. After I see consultant I can wait to see her at will, she doesn't have appts during clinic hours. If I make a specific appt, they are half hour slots too. And I can ring, email or text her 24/7. We had a chat for 15 minutes today about summat I've got going on at the mo.

Both of em already know all about me despite it being a major teaching hospital with what must be thousands of patients. So because I never see the Registrar or the houseman or the trainee, total seamless continuity. (Although even one of the housemen knows me, I have seen him rarely and am known to him as The Statin Lady, (because I won't take em, for good reasons) which if he can't recall me I have only to remind him of that one ... LOL)

If you can't get any sense out of your hospital then ask your GP to send you some place else. NHS Choices. You have the right if you aren't satisfied.