Causes and risk factors for type 2 diabetes
Here people discuss the causes and risk factors for type 2 diabetes and their experiences of them. {media 31447,31485,33423} The people we talked to had...
Here people tell us about their experiences of care and treatment for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes care in the NHS is provided mainly by GPs. If there are any problems, you may be referred to a hospital-based diabetes care team. Most of the people we talked to were treated by the GP and/or specialist nurse, but others who had been treated in hospital as emergencies, or who had developed complications with diabetes were receiving specialist care in hospital. Those with other illnesses as well as diabetes used a combination of hospital and GP care.
Many people talked about going to their local ‘diabetes clinic’ at the GP’s surgery whenever they had any problems. Diabetes clinics, usually run by a specialist nurse, provided people with advice about medication, diet and weight control and also monitored when people needed their medication changed. Some people had been invited to diabetes workshops when first diagnosed.
Some of those working full-time said that diabetes clinics were always held on weekday mornings or afternoons and so were inconvenient. They wanted the chance to see their own GP at evening or Saturday clinics. Others who worked full-time said they preferred getting care from hospital clinics.
When people had used the internet to search for information about diabetes (see Looking for Information and Support) or when there had been a story about diabetes in the media, some people wanted better access to their GP for reassurance. Several wondered why GPs couldn’t respond to queries with simple emails or text messages and help put their fears to rest.
Several people for whom English was a second or third language, said they valued being able to see a GP with an expertise in diabetes who could talk to them in their own language.
Here people discuss the causes and risk factors for type 2 diabetes and their experiences of them. {media 31447,31485,33423} The people we talked to had...
Information about diabetes came from a variety of sources including hospital consultants and nurses, GPs, practice nurses who ran diabetes clinics, dietitians, friends and relatives,...