Commissioning community services
Q Has anyone been involved in putting together a proposal for a community diabetes service that is gone for tendering?
Name and address withheld
A We have a practice-based commissioning group who are putting together a proposal to commission two community DSNs. These nurses will be employed through the PCT as the commissioning groups cannot employ them directly. These nurses will be part of the diabetes community nursing team and will be involved in developing the diabetes service, but only in their own locality and they will be heavily involved with insulin initiation. At the moment I cannot provide the proposal as it is with the PCT and I do not own it. However, if this is approved then I will ensure it is made available.
Jo Butler, Nurse Consultant, London
Statin use in young people
Q I work in a young persons’ clinic and recently there has been an increase in the number of prescriptions for statins. Does anyone have any evidence-based guidelines for statin therapy in young people with diabetes?
Margaret Daley, DSN, Aintree
A Young people should only be prescribed statins if they are part of a randomised study or if they have evidence of microvascular disease. There is no evidence as yet to support the routine use of statins in young people with diabetes. It is advised that statin therapy should be commenced at about 40 years of age. Currently, there is a randomised study in progress to evaluate the effects of statins in young people with diabetes.
Anne Scott, Diabetes Research Nurse, Ipswich
In-hospital self-management
Q As a DSN looking at inpatient diabetes care, I am keen to find more information (for audit purposes) on how people with diabetes are able to self manage their condition while in hospital, for example self-monitoring of blood glucose, and insulin dosing.
Does anyone know of any questionnaires that have been devised in order to gain information from people with diabetes and their views about self management while in hospital?
Cheryl Griffiths, DSN, Wrexham
Diabetes dietitians
Q I am a diabetes dietitian, and was wondering if there are any dietitians who have successfully raised awareness with healthcare professionals that nutritional management for people with diabetes may be affected by another underlying condition, and not their diabetes?
Name and address withheld
Helping homeless adults to overcome the challenges of managing their condition.
16 Apr 2024