The centre will be dedicated to specialist outpatient services for people living with diabetes in North Lancashire. Consultant and nurse-led clinics will move over to the centre in the next few months.
Services, at the new centre at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), will include a specialist insulin pump clinic, endocrinology clinics, IT and educational facilities to aid staff training, patient self-care and research. There will be an additional diabetic foot clinic to see high risk patients which it is hoped will help reduce the number of lower limb amputations and a specialist diabetes nurse service. A recent national diabetes inpatient audit showed that almost 20% of inpatients at the RLI have diabetes and patients with diabetes stay in hospital longer than patients with diabetes who do not have the condition.
Patient Bryan Maudsley, of Lancaster, said: “It is fantastic that patients have really been listened to. Coming today I see that many of the things we discussed at the first Big Conversation are in place. I can’t speak of the team highly enough, they are all fantastic.”
Nancy Ferris, of Heysham near Lancaster, who has suffered from Diabetes since birth and attended the event with her husband Harry, added: “This new centre is going to make such a difference for patients in the area. It’s going to be a lot easier than going to see different people at different times from different sections of the community for our care.”
Coun Redfern was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1980 and has attended the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI) diabetes clinic every three months since his diagnosis. He backed the centre in May 2016 and has raised more than £10,000 for Bay Hospitals Charity. The money has gone towards the Diabetes Centre. He cut a ribbon to mark the event surrounded by Trust Chairman Pearse Butler, Executive Chief Nurse Sue Smith, staff, patients, members of Diabetes UK and local user group Lancaster iPump.
Coun Redfern said: “This centre will benefit people from all over the area. Being involved with this project I feel overwhelming pride for all of those involved and what has been achieved.”
The integrated service aims include:
• Improving patient care and outcomes
• Reducing hospital admissions
• Improved performance for all clinics so all patients are seen on their indicative review date
• Reduction of length of stay for inpatient diabetic foot disease – from 175.1 nights per 1,000, people with diabetes to at or below the national average of 163.2 nights.
• Supporting education of staff and patients on self-care
• Reduced clinic DNA rates for young adults with type 1 diabetes to the Trust’s target of 5%
• Reducing major and minor lower limb amputation rates in North Lancashire – from 1.4/1000 people with diabetes to at or below the national average of 0.8 per 1000.
You can read more about our amazing Diabetes Centre at http://www.freshthinking.uhmb.nhs.uk/