T1 and no consultant?

[Cate]

Hi folks,

DAK if a T1 is meant to be under consultant care or not? Ir should have the option to be? A friend is struggling at the moment and her GP refuses to refer her to a hospital team. She's in the Midlands if that helps/is relevant.

If there's an option, can anyone point to the right bit in NICE guidelines or whatever that she could quote at her GP?

Thanks.

 

[Ellie Jones]

Your friend has the right to a second opinion....

No it's not obligatory any more that a T1 has a consultant, but the bases of this is that said diabetic has good control... If a diabetic is having problems then they should be referred to the hospital clinic/consultant...

If your friend GP is refusing I would suggest that they see another one of the surgeries GP's and explain that they want a referral to the consultant has present treatment isn't working and they require the input of a specialist team/consultant etc...

If this doesn't work, might be time to change to a different surgery

 

[Cate]

Thanks Ellie.

She says she's had ketones on 3 days in the last 5, is generally struggling, and has had to rely on friends to get her kids to school because of the ketones

She's rural so I don't know whether there *is* another GP at her practice, or whether she can get to another one...will ask.

 

[trophywench]

Cate, what hospital would she attend if she saw a consultant? Why doesn't she present herself to A&E there because she's worried about going into DKA any minute and can't get the help she needs to address her problem?

 

[MeganN]

I was also refused a referral back to a consultant.

I rang the private secretary of the hospital consultant that saw me at diagnosis and explained it to her. She got him to ring me. He gave the surgery an earful for refusing the referral and arranged it directly with me instead.

If your struggling make A LOT of noise until someone stops to listen xx

 

[ch1ps]

We're still not sure if I'm T2 or T1, but I am on MDI. My GP initially refused to refer me to a consultant. I rang Diabetes UK careline who advised me to speak to PALS. I complained to PALS who spoke to my GP, next thing I know I have a consultant.

 

[MeganN]

We're still not sure if I'm T2 or T1, but I am on MDI. My GP initially refused to refer me to a consultant. I rang Diabetes UK careline who advised me to speak to PALS. I complained to PALS who spoke to my GP, next thing I know I have a consultant.

Same here. Still don't have an answer as to which I am. I'm on mixed insulin at the mo and moving to MDI in the new year xx

 

[ch1ps]

Same here. Still don't have an answer as to which I am. I'm on mixed insulin at the mo and moving to MDI in the new year xx

They took blood last time to check for antibodies etc, so I am hoping to find out on 2nd Jan 🙂

 

[MeganN]

We're still not sure if I'm T2 or T1, but I am on MDI. My GP initially refused to refer me to a consultant. I rang Diabetes UK careline who advised me to speak to PALS. I complained to PALS who spoke to my GP, next thing I know I have a consultant.

They took blood last time to check for antibodies etc, so I am hoping to find out on 2nd Jan 🙂

Good luck! X

 

[newbs]

No it's not obligatory any more that a T1 has a consultant, but the bases of this is that said diabetic has good control

I'm really surprised at this - and lucky that I have a consultant - my GP thinks I have great control due to the fact my HbA1c is usually good, although my control is not. Due to the seriousness of the condition and the fact that GPs generally do not have a good understanding of it, I thought that all Type 1's were referred to a consultant (and most Type 2's). 😱

 

[Cate]

newbs, that's what I thought too. I've had a consultant since diagnosis and never been just under GP care in nearly 29 years (admittedly the last 8 years have been on a pump which even some of the consultants don't understand...).

I've given her the info, and she's on the case - has been making phone calls right and left to different people. I spoke to a friend of mine who's a GP in the area too, and she had some ideas about complaining which she's following up. Fingers crossed it gets sorted! The good news is her ketones have gone, hope they stay away though.

 

[trophywench]

Newbs, very FEW T2s (in comparison to the ppn of T1s) ever get to see An Expert.

I was told in NO uncertain terms about 5 years ago, that if I moved my GP care to where I live instead of leaving it where I used to live (being resident approx 150 yds over the 'border' now) there was NO WAY would I EVER be referred to the hospital 'unless people have problems'.

Well, that can be arranged ...... but it shouldn't have to should it.

I wanted to move because my GP is c**p. At everything I've ever had go wrong with me not just diabetes (he's the one with the diabetes specialism) since I moved here be it mental health or gynae.

So I didn't dare move surgeries .....