Diabetes hospital care gets shot in the arm

Tan Parsons A SERIES of initiatives to improve the treatment of diabetes patients is being rolled out in a pilot scheme at the Royal Free Hospital. The project involves a new diabetes patient record chart, guidelines for how to treat dangerously low blood

Tan Parsons

A SERIES of initiatives to improve the treatment of diabetes patients is being rolled out in a pilot scheme at the Royal Free Hospital.

The project involves a new diabetes patient record chart, guidelines for how to treat dangerously low blood sugar levels and new packs with the insulin sliding scale.

Ruth Miller, a specialist diabetes nurse and lead on the project, said: "This will make the management of people with diabetes much easier for the staff.

"But most importantly, people with diabetes can be confident they will have the very best care during their stay with us."

The aim of the scheme is to improve the administering of life-saving insulin and stabilise blood sugar - therefore improving patient safety.

This is being achieved in part through the use of 'glucojuice' - a pure form of sugar pre-measured to the correct dose with the use of a sliding-scale insulin prescription sticker and a diabetes management booklet.

In addition, in the juice mixture the traditional dose of 5 per cent dextrose has been switched to 10 per cent.

Junior sister Flome Gasendo, who has been using the new insulin packs, said: "It has helped us a lot.

"There are now clear guidelines to tell you what to do and it is good to have a step-by-step guide. Another key thing is that it very clearly highlights the danger signs of hypoglycaemia."

The pilot follows the Think Glucose campaign, which is being run by the NHS Institute For Innovation And Improvement.

Currently up to 30 per cent of beds at the hospital can be occupied at any one time with patients suffering from the effects of diabetes.