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Good pump clinic in East Midlands/ London/ Taunton??

Engineer88

Engineer88

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,130
Location
Wales
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Especially the pump clinic but what is the general diabetic care like there?

Not impressed with current care at NGH - consulatant changes and all sorts.
 
Don't know about the Churchill but Kettering general has a good diabetes clinic where I attend which might be closer for you than Oxford...not a big fan of Northampton general myself either.
 
paul-1976 said:
Don't know about the Churchill but Kettering general has a good diabetes clinic where I attend which might be closer for you than Oxford...not a big fan of Northampton general myself either.
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Thanks didnt know Kettering had a hospital. Its further than NGH for me but would still travel the hour each way right now rather than NGH.
 
As my mother had BUPA she was treated in the private wing of the Churchill Hopital. It looked great with state of the art equipment etc... but the reality is that hospitals are hospitals - some good, some bad.... I spent 6 months driving there every night from London to visit her after work - finally I would sit in the car park, dreading having to get out and go into the hospital. I was with her there when she died and would never set foot in the place again!
However that is rather unfair of me as my mother had blood cancer not diabetes so I cannot say how they do in that department and my judgement is very clouded. At least the newly developed bit has nice shops and cafes!
 
Kettering has it's own designated community diabetes centre which is a seperate building to the hospital but on the same grounds with easy parking,my endo there was excellent but he's now retired but his colleagues seemed pretty good according to some other patients I spoke to.:)
 
catherinecherub said:
If you don't mind travelling then UCH in London has excellent diabetes care and your Dr. can refer you there.
http://www.uclh.org/OurServices/ServiceA-Z/MEDSPEC/DIAB/Pages/Home.aspx
"As one of the largest insulin pump centres we receive secondary and tertiary referrals from all over the U.K."
http://www.uclh.org/OurServices/ServiceA-Z/MEDSPEC/DIAB/Pages/refer.aspx

I know people who travel from the S.W. because of the excellent care there.

Oxford to London is roughly 62 miles.
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Thanks for the heads up Catherine, this is a last ditch plan atm, I'm currently trying to calm down rather than throw a strop but its def something I will bare in mind.
 
I've changed the title to be a bit more general - in the hope the thread could be useful for those also looking for a starting pump clinic.

Anyone got anything to add?
 
Hi I used to be under Taunton. It all depends on which consultant you get as there is one excellent one one rubbish one and a few alright at times ones (my personal opinion). The pump nurse that was amazing in taunton retired a few years ago and I didn't get a chance to meet the new one. Technically I'm still being funded via them. They are quite good at emailing so that you don't need to always come in, if you have problems. The nurses are usually quite good at calling back if something is urgent as well, all of them know about pumps even if they aren't the designated pump nurse which is handy. Here in Aberdeen I'm not allowed to have email addresses and there is only one specific pump nurse who will deal with you at clinics or if you call. There are are lot more consultants available at Taunton compared to Aberdeen even though Aberdeen has the bigger population and again all the consultants know about pumps although the top pump person is Joanne Watson. If you're getting transferred this would be who I would ask to be put with.
What's wrong with your clinic at the moment?
 
pumppimp said:
Hi I used to be under Taunton. It all depends on which consultant you get as there is one excellent one one rubbish one and a few alright at times ones (my personal opinion). The pump nurse that was amazing in taunton retired a few years ago and I didn't get a chance to meet the new one. Technically I'm still being funded via them. They are quite good at emailing so that you don't need to always come in, if you have problems. The nurses are usually quite good at calling back if something is urgent as well, all of them know about pumps even if they aren't the designated pump nurse which is handy. Here in Aberdeen I'm not allowed to have email addresses and there is only one specific pump nurse who will deal with you at clinics or if you call. There are are lot more consultants available at Taunton compared to Aberdeen even though Aberdeen has the bigger population and again all the consultants know about pumps although the top pump person is Joanne Watson. If you're getting transferred this would be who I would ask to be put with.
What's wrong with your clinic at the moment?
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I went in monday and they made me feel like **** basically. No one asked how I was doing or commented on my improvements, the only thing they seemed interested in was the numbers and the number of highs I have been having (they looked relieved when I said I was on steroids). I tried to call thursday and friday last week on the dedicated pump line and could not get a reply. I feel like the CGM which I'm self funding is almost being used against me as they can point to it and say almost 'why didnt you do something...' I just want to be treated like a human with other issues outside of diabeties. I havent really liked the DSNs since I have been at NGH they are very untrusting and dismissive I find. If I were staying with the consultant I would be more inclined to stay - Dr Anne Kilvert was fab.
 
Oh that's a shame, feel the same way about the Aberdeen clinic. Are you thinking of moving as well or was it a general ask about other pump clinics? I found Dr Watson fantastic there was always something more to look at and investigate, to give even better control and she was lovely to just chat to, she always had time for you. When I passed my A-levels and went to uni she got me a congratulations card and got the clinic nurses to sign it as well. Wouldn't it be lovely if all HCP's could be like that!
 
Engineer88 said:
I went in monday and they made me feel like **** basically. No one asked how I was doing or commented on my improvements, the only thing they seemed interested in was the numbers and the number of highs I have been having (they looked relieved when I said I was on steroids). I tried to call thursday and friday last week on the dedicated pump line and could not get a reply. I feel like the CGM which I'm self funding is almost being used against me as they can point to it and say almost 'why didnt you do something...' I just want to be treated like a human with other issues outside of diabeties. I havent really liked the DSNs since I have been at NGH they are very untrusting and dismissive I find. If I were staying with the consultant I would be more inclined to stay - Dr Anne Kilvert was fab.
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Hate to say it but I feel most medical staff make me feel like s..t after I go there. They will pick at every small thing and always look for continual improvements even if there is not that much wrong. To me going to most diabetic staff feels like trying to meet unobtainable targets while overlooking any achievements. I personally find the attitudes very depressing in most places I have been. Good luck finding people that can relate in any way shape or form to what having a chronic condition for many decades is really like.
 
pumppimp said:
Oh that's a shame, feel the same way about the Aberdeen clinic. Are you thinking of moving as well or was it a general ask about other pump clinics? I found Dr Watson fantastic there was always something more to look at and investigate, to give even better control and she was lovely to just chat to, she always had time for you. When I passed my A-levels and went to uni she got me a congratulations card and got the clinic nurses to sign it as well. Wouldn't it be lovely if all HCP's could be like that!
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My parents are moving to somerset so I could justify Taunton I think. I'm on the northampton/ oxford boarder so could cross into either of those and London was suggested as they will generally take anyone (I think). I will see what happens on the 24th re if I move clinic but def not happy.
 
Engineer88, I travel from Broadstairs(search Bleak House,Charles Dickens, I can get their in a 20 min walk, with good music :-) ). I moved to Kings College in London, I 'm under Prof Ameil and DSN AlIson Cox. Best move I ever made( my local pumping clinic 30 so miles, ****). Alison, listens as does the prof, good out of hours care, as I found out Boxing Day, called and Prof returned call 30mins later, then called back a few hours later to see how I was doing. Can not fault the team at Kings you are treated as a person. For so long under the care of our local centre felt like a number.
 
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