A couple medical terms/abbreviations?

[Fallgal]

Hi. I have only lived in the UK for four years and had not needed to use the doctor's surgery very much before being diagnosed as a T2. Could someone please tell me:

1. What a "consultant" is in regards to the NHS? Is it just another name for a doctor or GP?
2. What is a DSN? Is that the same as a "diabetic nurse"?
3. The nurse I see has a "diploma in diabetes". Is he a DSN?
4. What is a "registrar" in a doctor's surgery? (There are two doctors listed as "registrars" at my local surgery.)

Thank you very much!

 

[Lamont D]

1 is a specialist in a certain area of medicine for exams endocrinology.
2. Yes you're right
3. Never heard of it, possibly.
4 is a hospital doctor.

 

[Fallgal]

Thank you, Nosher!

 

[CarbsRok]

Hi. I have only lived in the UK for four years and had not needed to use the doctor's surgery very much before being diagnosed as a T2. Could someone please tell me:

1. What a "consultant" is in regards to the NHS? Is it just another name for a doctor or GP?
2. What is a DSN? Is that the same as a "diabetic nurse"?
3. The nurse I see has a "diploma in diabetes". Is he a DSN?
4. What is a "registrar" in a doctor's surgery? (There are two doctors listed as "registrars" at my local surgery.)

Thank you very much!

1 Consultant is the head man specialising in his field (hospital based)
2, Diabetes specialist nurse (hospital based.
3. http://www.primarycaretraining.co.uk/product/diabetes-management-in-primary-care/ So def not a DSN
4.
GP Registrar
We are a training Practice, which means that fully-qualified doctors, who have usually completed their 4 years of training in hospital mediciine. They then spend up to eighteen months working in a pracice to develop their skills in general practice.

 

[phoenix]

There isn't apparently a set qualification for a diabetes specialist nurse

There is currently no single recognised qualification for the DSN role. Castledine (1991) gave minimum recommendations for DSNs new in post, saying that they: (i) should be registered nurses with a minimum of 3 years practice; and (ii) have a proven interest in diabetes management, teaching and counselling. Senior DSNs at that time would have been required to: (i) have practised as DSNs for a minimum of 3 years; and (ii) be willing to undertake a diabetes diploma or a related degree.
More recently, Agenda for Change: National Job Profiles (DH, 2005) and Towards a Framework for Post Registration Nursing Careers(DH, 2007a)identified core elements of training for all specialist nurses. Notably, all specialist nurses are now required to have, or be working towards, a degree level qualification to fulfil the national job profile criteria.
Senior nurses will be aligned to the advanced nurse profile and be expected to have, or be working towards, a masters degree (Diabetes UK, 2010

from Career and competency Framework for Diabetes Nursing http://www.trend-uk.org/documents/TREND_3rd.pdf
It's quite interesting seeing the competencies expected at the different levels.

There are diplomas that form part of the pathway to a masters like this one:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/med/study/cpd/diabetes/b906/

 

[anna29]

Just a couple of extra pointer's for you Fallgall

Consultant/Seniorship Specialist is usually titled a Mr.
Houseman/or Registar are still titled as Dr's.

Some medical specialists have extra months/years training to undergo before
achieving their given title of Mr - this depends on their chosen field of
medical field speciality .

Dunno about the professors ? within the hospitals .

 

[anna29]

Here is an extra jargon and abbreviations explanation info link
for your perusal .

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-jargon.html

 

[phoenix]

@anna29
Hi Anna,it's only consultant surgeons , obstetricians and gynaecologists who are Mr. (comes from the times when surgeons didn't have a medical degree and were really off duty barbers)
Why are (male) surgeons still addressed as Mr?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1119265/

 

[anna29]

May be variable in some locations/hospitals phoenix .
Here at my own local hospital and my husbands hospital(s) too .

There is certainly Mrs and Mr 's in other specialist medical fields .
Opthalmology being an specialist medical field area - with both Mr and Mrs specialists .
Paediatrics and plastic surgeons is another area with both Mr and Mrs specialists .
Maxillo Facial specialists , orthopaedic specialists of titled Mr's at my local
hospital also .

So with this factual info - am inclined to think and feel it is a possible variable thing .

.

 

[Fallgal]

Oh my, so much to remember! I think I like the title system better in the USA. They are all called "doctor".

I know the doctor who performed my skin cancer surgeries (in the UK) is a "Mr." I felt funny calling him that!

Thank you all for the amazing help! It *does* help me to know who I am talking to/what their role is.

 

[Bluetit1802]

A Consultant is the top man in his own speciality, based at a hospital.
A hospital Registrar is a doctor working under a Consultant
My oncologist is the top Consultant in Oncology in my area. He is still known as Dr.
My cancer surgeon is known as Miss but has much less experience and years than the oncologist.