Pioneering diabetes clinical role to ease hospital treatment burden

[DCUK NewsBot]

A brand new diabetes healthcare role created in Southampton has been hailed as a "watershed moment" in helping to treat the condition. Philip Newland-Jones has been made the first diabetes consultant pharmacist by Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust. It is hoped the landmark move will help to improve diabetes care by harnessing resources - Mr Newland-Jones will be able to share the reasonability of writing prescriptions with diabetes consultants. He will also be able to lead ward rounds, carry out reviews on patients before they are discharged and will head-up two specialist diabetes clinics. Speaking to The Diabetes Times, Mr Newland-Jones said: "This should be a platform for more specialist pharmacists in diabetes. "There is a decline in nurse specialists, there is a decline in registrars but we have pharmacists that are already in hospitals that can develop into diabetes specialists. What patients want is to be looked after by someone who knows about diabetes. "For me it's a relief because it’s something that we have been working on for the last five years, we have put a lot of hard work into this." Mr Newland-Jones, who joined the NHS Trust in 2008, was originally involved in a pilot project which generated impressive results for people with diabetes in hospital. Out of 400 patients, there was a reduction in readmission rates from 8.91 per cent to five per cent and there was also a decrease in the amount of time people stayed in hospital. Dr Mayank Patel, a specialist nurse and a dietitian employed by the trust, had previously been looking after up to 150 patients with both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes with just the help of one other nurse. He said: "It's exciting to be the first trust to go down this route, it is a watershed moment for pharmacists in diabetes. We have had lots of interest from consultants at other trusts who are looking to do the same."

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[Emma_Louise]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here and I live in Southampton. When I read this article I thought that it would be a couple of pharmacists in the hospitals in the area. ie, Southampton General Hospital & the Royal South Hants Hospital.

I went to my local chemist that I have used for 3 years now to pick up a prescription on Friday, and was asked if I was willing to speak to the pharmacist. Had a one on one meeting for 45 minutes. Something that hasn't happened since I was diagnosed by my doctor as type 1, three years ago.

It's a long story over the last few years, with changes in medication, diagnosis, hypers at 26, hypos at 1, in hospital with DKA (resuscitation unit for 10 hours etc). 50% loss in bodyweight, muscle wastage, chest pains, severe depression, CBT courses etc etc,

The pharmacist was amazing!!! Went through my whole history, my medication, diagnosis, treatments, how to deal with hypers or hypos, how the condition affects the major organs and causes depression etc etc.

I can now call him or pop in to see him if I need any advice or help at all. My doctor gives me 10 mins once a month, but now I have someone who I can call or pop in to see whenever I need to.

This is life changing :0)

Em

 

[azure]

Welcome @Emma_Louise

Thank you for that informative post It sounds like you've had an awful time. Is the problem a lack of DSNs? I'm lucky enough to have a good DSN unit, but the main reason I feel I'm doing ok is that I got proper input when I was diagnosed - dietician taught carb counting, saw my consultant for a long chat, saw DSNs, etc

Do you feel that a lack of DSNs and proper education contributed to your problems?