Diabetes

Diabetes and Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) Reviews

We have changed the way we manage our diabetes and hypertension reviews.   Each patient will be offered an annual review.  You will receive the appointment by text, telephone or letter.

The appointment will be booked with a member of our Nursing Team.  They will carry out all necessary checks and arrange a blood tests.  Whilst at this appointment you will be asked how you would like to receive your results.  We will arrange for you to be seen face to face or by telephone, you will choose how you wish this appointment to be conducted.

Prior to the results consultation – the results of the blood test will be reviewed by the diabetes team who will decide if some changes/improvements are needed

• This could be an introduction of additional medication
• Reducing your diabetes medication if optimal control of your blood glucose is achieved
• Dietary advice or referral to a weight management service
• Frequency of review and monitor either 6 monthly or annually.  Your annual review will coincide with your birthday month.  This helps you manage your appointment and you will know if you have not received an invitation to contact the Surgery for the diabetes team to contact you.

If you have concerns about your management please call the surgery and we aim to call you back within a five working days.

Important – please bring a first morning urine to your appointment, this is to check your kidney function

If you are housebound then we will arrange for a blood test to be taken by our community phlebotomy service, following this a nurse will visit to conduct the rest of the review

Research suggests that patients benefit from checking their blood pressure at home. This can be useful as we know that blood pressure can rise when sitting in a waiting room and seeing a clinician.  Blood pressure machines are readily available to buy from pharmacies and online stores.  We can supply a blood pressure reading form to be filled in, which shows how to obtain the best results, this can be returned to the surgery for a clinician to review

Useful information for our patients about Diabetes and how to improve your diabetes control are available online at Diabetes.co.uk