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About the Service Outpatient Clinics The Children's Diabetes Team Paediatric Diabetes Nurses Home Visits Transition Service Patient Leaflets Recipes Weblinks Contacts Getting 24-Hour Access to Support |
Our Philosopy |
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From diagnosis and throughout the journey of living with diabetes, we believe that all children and young people require an individual package of care that supports their needs both physically and emotionally.
All children and young people with diabetes are entitled to aspire and achieve their hopes and dreams in life. |
| About the Service |
| Currently approximately 190 children up to age 19 receive diabetes care at both St Peter's and Ashford hospitals. The service is supported by four paediatric diabetes specialist nurses, two experienced dieticians and a Registered Mental Health Nurse. |
| Outpatient Clinics |
| Diabetes management will be formally reviewed by the team every three months and this is a good time to raise any questions or concerns, although there is a member of the team who can always be contacted in-between these times for advice. Sometimes, as a learning experience, other doctors, nurses, dietitians and students attend the diabetes clinic, but you will always be informed if this is the case.
Out-patient clinics are held at both Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals. There is a weekly clinic held on a Tuesday morning in the Stephanie Marks Centre based at St Peter’s hospital site and one clinic per month on a Thursday morning at Ashford Hospital, in the Children’s Outpatient Department. It can be a good idea to bring to your appointment a snack, drink, and some entertainment for your child. Though we strive to run the clinic to time there can be delays and unfortunately there are no snack or drink provisions within the Stephanie Marks building. There is also a Dietitian led clinic that is run twice per month. One Tuesday per month in the afternoon and one Friday morning per month both at Ashford Hospital, in the Children’s Outpatient Department or they can be virtual appointments. Our Registered Mental Health Nurse runs clinics every Tuesday mornings. They are being carried out virtually or face to face at the Stephanie Marks Centre. |
| The Children's Diabetes Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Children's diabetes team is made up of a variety of people who will work to help you learn all about coping with diabetes as part of your daily lives.
You will meet most of the team over the coming months. Each team member has a specialist role, but many of the things we do overlap. We aim to provide you with the best possible care based on the latest research and evidence. The following members of the hospital based health care team will work together with you for the best possible care.
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| About the Service |
| The Paediatric Diabetes Nurse Specialist (PDNS) provides ongoing advice, education and support to all children and young people with diabetes (and their families) who attend Ashford & St Peter's Hospitals Trust. The service incorporates any child from diagnosis until transition to the adult diabetes service at approximately aged 19 years.
The PDNS manages the continuing care of the children and young people by providing telephone and e-mail advice; home visits, nursery and school visits to support and educate staff. Specialist education is also provided for others such as holiday play staff and youth leaders. The PDNS attends the ward whenever a child or young person with diabetes is admitted. This enables the education programme of the child and parents to commence which in turn facilitates the early discharge of the patient. It also starts the development of the important therapeutic relationship between the nurse and the family. Further more, the nurse is able to provide support and expert advice to the ward nursing staff and the junior doctors. |
| Home Visits |
| The Diabetes Nurse may visit you at home to give advice and support. She can also visit your child's school, club etc. to give specialist advice to your child's carers. |
| Transition to Adult Care |
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The Diabetes Transition Service supports children, young people and their families prepare for transfer from children's diabetes care to adult diabetes services.
This process is called 'transition' and it can start from around the age of 16 years and continue until transfer, usually when the young person reaches the age of 19 years. The service aims to integrate children's and adult services and provide support for young people until the age of 24 years to empower them to manage their diabetes successfully. It is recognised children and young people with diabetes often need extra help and support to help them cope with their condition especially during this time. All the usual changes are taking place that go along with growing up, puberty, changing schools, exams, starting college or university, decisions on what to do with their life and career. As well as finding a job, starting relationships, moving away from home, learning, to drive, and becoming more independent from parents to name but a few. Having diabetes and transferring to adult diabetes services can make this a difficult and worrying time. The Diabetes Transition Service aims to provide help, support and education to enable transition and transfer to adult services to be as straight forward and stress free as possible and keep young people engaged in diabetes care. We provide information to help ensure young people achieve good diabetes control and reduce their risks of developing diabetes associated complications. The Diabetes Transition Service provides all aspects of specialist diabetes care and support for young people with either Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes including:
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| Weblinks | |||
Diabetes UK: My Life
For more websites, visit our useful links page. |
| Contacts | |||||
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| Getting 24-Hour Access to Support |
| If you require urgent diabetes advice outside of office hours, please telephone St Peter's Hospital - 01932 872000 and ask the switchboard operator to bleep the on-call Paediatric Registrar. |
