In east Kent, there are almost 40,000 patients diagnosed with diabetes, and numbers are increasing.
To improve the care for people, specialist clinicians are recommending a new approach, building on the successful model for services in west Kent.
This new way of working means more specialist services being delivered in GP practices, reducing the need for patients to travel to hospital for straightforward treatment.
Views shared
More than 700 people shared their views on a major programme to enhance diabetes services in east Kent in the spring of 2021.
East Kent Health and Care Partnership (EKHCP), a collaboration of organisations that have come together to provide better health and care for the people of east Kent, wanted to hear from those living with diabetes, as well as their family and carers.
A survey and series of focus groups identified areas for improvement were:
- better advice and support pre-diagnosis
- more regular GP reviews, face-to-face consultations and check-ups
- improved experience of hospital care
- better signposting to support and guidance, particularly from community healthcare staff
- more joined up working across healthcare staff
- inclusion of carers and family in discussions about care
- improved access to foot care
- access to better information about nutrition and diet.
Improvements following feedback
After listening to patients, clinicians are implementing a number of recommendations to improve diabetes care, such as:
- enhancing foot care services
- introducing a new local insulin pump service
- increasing the use of technology to deliver care.
Visit www.eastkentdiabetes.org to find out more.
Have your say
If you would like to know more or want to take part contact us at kmccg.engage@nhs.net
Community care pilot
We are piloting the new model of integrated community care in Herne Bay.
Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital in Herne Bay is the first community diabetes clinic in east Kent.
There is a six-month pilot for a new hub and spoke model of care centred on a diabetes community clinic in Herne Bay, with further roll out in Ashford planned next.
Once a week, a half-day clinic will take place at Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital where patients whose diabetes is not yet under control will be able to see a specialist diabetes nurse and a dietician from Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, as well as practice nurses from Herne Bay Primary Care Network (PCN).
There will also be a weekly multidisciplinary meeting with the podiatry team, and another with East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, where clinical colleagues will review more complex cases. Once a patient’s condition is stabilised, they will then be cared for by their GP surgery.
Discussions are also under way with the Paula Carr Trust about supporting patients through peer support work locally.