Community diabetes

We provide a comprehensive specialist service to patients over the age of 24 with diabetes and their carers across Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland. The aim is to provide a locally based, easily accessible service in relaxed, comfortable, private and confidential settings.

We are a multi-disciplinary team consisting of specialist doctors and nurses, podiatrists, dietitians and health care assistants and we aim to address key diabetes related issues. These may include:

Improving blood glucose control
Advising you and your GP team about diabetes related long-term complications, risk factors (blood pressure, blood cholesterol, lifestyle issues etc) and depression
Providing you with up to date information on and initiating more complicated therapies such as injection treatment, insulin or newer tablet medication
Working in liaison with your GP team supporting them in your diabetes care
Telephone help for both you and your GP team supporting your diabetes care
Education for patients to help you adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle
Structured courses for newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes patients (DESMOND)
Home visits – for the initiation of insulin and titration of insulin and oral diabetes medications for those unable to attend our clinic based service
Training, resources and support for primary care teams
Access to other schemes to help you become more healthy (specialist weight management clinics, smoking cessation services, exercise promotion schemes including subsidised membership of local gyms)

What happens during an appointment at a clinic?

New patients will seen by a specialist GP or nurse. They will have their height, weight and blood pressure measured and be asked to give a urine sample. The doctor or nurse will then have a detailed discussion about key difficulties in their diabetes care and together negotiate a plan of action involving them, their GP team and various members of the diabetes team and other local services.

All patients require an assessments of kidney function (U&Es, Creatinine, eGFR, urine protein), liver function (LFTs), long-term glucose control (HbA1c), cholesterol and thyroid function.

Structured education: DESMOND

(Diabetes Education and Self-Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed)

The DESMOND Diabetes Education Programme is now available for all patients who are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes up to 12 months after diagnosis.

Benefits of the programme for patients: