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Have your say on diabetic eye screening

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NHS England would like to hear from people with diabetes and those who support them, about their views on diabetic eye screening and how to improve the service in the future.

The Diabetic Eye Screening Programme (DESP) aims to reduce the risk of sight loss amongst those living with diabetes by early identification and effective treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

The screening programme invites anyone with diabetes aged 12 years or over for digital eye screening once a year. Your views will help shape the way the screening programme is delivered going forward.

Fill in the survey

You can also give your views for improving the service by emailing: Trudie.metcalfe@nhs.net

All feedback should be submitted by Saturday 6 August 2022.

Read more about diabetic eye screening (including Easy Read)

If you would like to tell us about any diabetes or eye health services you have used recently please get in touch.

Diabetes Week – 13-19 June 2022

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Diabetes Week 2022 is coming up from 13 to 19 June. It’s a chance to raise awareness of diabetes and highlight the support available to anyone living with the condition. If you would like to find out more about diabetes and the support available in Northumberland, come along to our free online event on Friday 10 June to hear from Colin Renshaw of Diabetes UK.

Colin will provide information about the different types of diabetes and how to manage and live well with the condition. We will also hear about national and local support available from Diabetes UK and there will be a chance to ask questions.

Find out more and register

Here at Healthwatch Northumberland, two members of our volunteer team have experience of type 2 diabetes and have kindly shared their thoughts below.

James’ Poem

Our volunteer James wrote a poem about his experience of type 2 diabetes:

Got diabetes
From eating too many sweeties
Didn’t care what I ate
Always cleared my plate

What symptoms did I have?
Lots of trips to the lav
Drank like a fish
Even made a wish

Was first given tablets
But didn’t change my habits
Drinking too much coca colas
Along the way I am rotting my molars

Moved on to the hard stuff
Needle is in
Needle is out
Whoops am going to shout

Sugars is o so high
Sugars is o so low
How is going to go
Or maybe it’s going to snow

Have now changed my diet
I can’t really be quiet
How low can I go
Getting a healthier glow

Colin’s Q&A

Volunteer Colin answered some questions for us about his experience of type 2 diabetes and how this affects his daily life:

When were you first diagnosed with diabetes?

22 years ago.

What symptoms did you have?

I didn’t have any symptoms, it was picked up during a routine eye examination following sight loss (unrelated).

How did it affect your life?

The main thing is that I have to check my blood twice a day.

How have you managed the condition? What healthcare support did you get? Did you get help from any support organisations?

My diabetes was initially treated with Metformin tablets and I had an annual check with a diabetes nurse. After a period of time I needed insulin to manage my sugar levels and I attended a course on how to use insulin at Blyth Hospital. I continue to have yearly check-ups with a diabetes nurse – these were online during pandemic but are back to in person now.

What is the situation now – how is the condition and have you made any lifestyle changes to improve it?

I have to have meals at regular times and carry something with me to eat. If things get out of balance, I can have a ‘hypo’ (experience hypoglycaemia) but I’m good at spotting the signs.

 

Find out more about diabetes at the Diabetes UK website.

If you would like to tell us about your experience of diabetes services or ask a question about local services and support, please get in touch.

Diabetes UK online event

Online Event – Diabetes UK

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Join us in the run up to Diabetes Week 2022 to hear from Colin Renshaw from Diabetes UK on Friday 10 June, 1pm-2pm.

In this free, online public event Colin will provide information about the different types of diabetes and how to manage and live well with the condition. We will also hear about national and local support available from Diabetes UK. There will be a chance to ask questions.

Register now and we will send you a link to join closer to the event: bit.ly/DiabetesUK-June2022

If you would like to tell us about your recent experience of diabetes services please get in touch.

Back to school support from Diabetes UK

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As schools are due to reopen in September, Diabetes UK knows that parents and carers might be worried about the safety of their children with diabetes returning to school.

To help ease these worries they have organised a ‘Back to school’ question and answer session via Zoom with a panel of experts who will help to answer any questions you might have.

The Zoom session will take place on Wednesday 12 August from 7.30pm to 8.30pm.

The panel of experts will include:

  • Dr Fiona Campbell: Consultant Paediatrician and Diabetologist at Leeds Children’s Hospital
  • Carol Metcalfe: Advanced Specialist Practitioner in Paediatric Diabetes at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital
  • James Rodger-Phillips: a Head of Department at a secondary school who lives with type 1 diabetes
  • Steve Paxton: parent of two teenagers with type 1 diabetes and Good Care In School Award assessor

The Type 1 Events team are also running further panels for parents and carers in August and September:

  • Newly diagnosed – what happens when type 1 diabetes joins your family? Tuesday 18 August – 7pm to 8.30pm.
  • Becoming more independent. Monday 21 September – 7pm to 8.30pm.

If you would like to attend any of these events you can sign up here.

All of the latest advice for managing diabetes during the coronavirus outbreak can be found on the Diabetes UK coronavirus advice page.

Events

Online Event – Diabetes UK

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Join us in the run up to Diabetes week to hear from Colin Renshaw from Diabetes UK.

In this free, online public event Colin will provide information about the different types of diabetes and how to manage and live well with the condition. We will also hear about national and local support available from Diabetes UK.

There will be a chance to ask questions.

Register now and we will send you a link to join closer to the event: bit.ly/DiabetesUK-June2022

Ramadan and Diabetes

Diabetes UK Webinar: Diabetes & Ramadan

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The North of England Diabetes UK team is offering a free webinar for people living with diabetes and who wish to prepare for Ramadan.

The webinar will take place on Thursday, 17 February, from 5pm – 6.30pm on Zoom.

Speaking at the event will be Moulana Azizur Rahman (graduate of Traditional Islamic Studies, Theology, Jurisprudence & Classical Arabic from Imam Zakariya Academy, Forest Gate, and teacher and course co-ordinator at Al Misbaah Academy, Seven Kings, Redbridge) and health expert Dr Waqas Tahir (GP Partner Affinity Care (Cowgill Surgery, Clayton), GPwER Diabetes and Diabetes Lead, Act as One Programme Bradford and West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership).

This will be followed by two people sharing their lived experience of diabetes and Ramadan and a Q&A.

Book a place here: https://tinyurl.com/Ramadan-2022

Diabetes UK – Type 1 and Tech online event

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This year Diabetes UK’s popular online event, connecting the type 1 diabetes community with healthcare professionals and researchers, will take place on Saturday, 16 October from 10:00am to 2:00 pm.

The conference will cover a variety of topics in engaging and interactive formats with a jam-packed agenda of researchers, healthcare professionals and people living with type 1 sharing their experiences.

Sign up for the event here: https://eu.eventscloud.com/t1andtech21

If you have any questions about the event, please contact the type 1 and tech event team: type1andtech@diabetes.org.uk

Diabetes UK – Let’s Talk About Feet webinar

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Join the Diabetes UK North of England team for a free webinar full of practical advice around good foot care for people living with diabetes. Checking your feet at home is so important, now more than ever, and this webinar will show you how to.

There will be talks from podiatrists Donna Welch and Colette Jones, and Diabetes UK volunteer Andy Lavender, who will share his foot care experiences.

To register visit: https://footcare.eventbrite.co.uk. Email: evie.kinghorn@diabetes.org.uk if you have any queries.

Diabetes and Moving More

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The North of England Diabetes UK team presents a webinar for people living with diabetes or those at risk of diabetes, taking an informal and relaxed look at the basics of getting more active. You will hear from Neil Gibson (Physical Activity Insight Advisor at Diabetes UK) and George West (Diabetes UK volunteer living with type 1 diabetes).

This webinar is free and registration is simple.  If you have any queries, Email evie.kinghorn@diabetes.org.uk

Registration

www.diabetes.org.uk