MPs have described a pioneering one-stop diabetes screening service as the future of how diabetes care should be provided during a recent visit to the Northern General Hospital.
Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Diabetes and other MPs, visited Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital on Wednesday 20 August to see the service which enables people with diabetes to complete all nine recommended health checks in a single visit.
By cutting down on multiple appointments it increases screening uptake as well as the patient’s experience which in turn helps with early detection of complications and ensures people get the support they need to live well with diabetes. The service has already been nationally recognised for its impact on improving patient outcomes and reducing health inequalities.
Reflecting on the visit, Tom said: “The one-stop diabetes screening service is a fantastic example of how we can deliver diabetes care that is easier to access, more effective, and more patient-centred. For people living with diabetes, being able to complete all nine essential health checks in a single appointment can be transformative – preventing complications, improving quality of life, and even saving lives.
‘This is exactly the kind of forward-thinking service that should be rolled out more widely as part of the Government’s plans for neighbourhood health services, ensuring that everyone with diabetes has access to the support and checks they need to live well with the condition.”
Professor Solomon Tesfaye, Consultant Diabetologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We were delighted to showcase innovations in the management of diabetes care. The one- stop diabetes screening service has a great potential to detect and manage the complications of diabetes early to prevent devastating outcomes such as amputations, strokes, heart attacks and kidney failure.”
The delegation also heard from patients, and learned about the Sheffield diabetes eye screening programme, podiatry services and the latest research studies. This includes the Oceanic trial, which is using state-of-the-art technologies to identify nerve damage at an early stage.
The visit concluded with a tour of the Diabetes and Endocrine Centre and the Young Person's Clinic where the one-stop diabetes screening service is delivered. The average blood glucose of patients attending this clinic, which is led by Dr Jackie Elliott, Consultant Diabetologist and Head of Diabetes Service, is much lower than the national average, thereby reducing the chances of diabetes complications.
