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Diabetic nurse first visit

L

les1480

Member
Messages
15
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Just had my first visit to diabetic nurse and what a waste of time that was blood pressure taken feet looked at told
xpert course still none the wiser than I went must admit the doctor could have done that no need to see the nurse no wonder the NHS is running out of money
 
It would cost more for a doctor to do those tests, and make referrals. The DN would also make the referral for retinopathy screening.
 
Yep, sounds like poor service.
I see you are T2. Are you on medication?
Did they give you your readings - if not you should be able to ask for them
People here can't offer medical advice obviously but if you want to give us more information there's masses of info here from some very experienced folk (not me!).
 
What did you want to happen? BTW I've never had my feet checked. I came away from my first DN visit with lots of paper and a booklet to read.
 
Yes Im on metformin I can't imagine the nurses worked on a Saturday for nothing so I don't know what the doctor just couldn't have done it in ordinary time when she seen me
 
DUK have list of (13?) things that should be carried out at your annual (or more frequent review). Have a look at their website if you want to know what the DN should be doing. It should be a 20 minute double appointment. Check that your retinopathy is booked. Always ensure you get your test results and get them online if you can so you have questions to ask at the review based on those results. I think my surgery is pretty good overall but there are too many like yours. I think the main thing at your review is reviewing your results and what meds changes may be needed
 
les1480 said:
Yes Im on metformin I can't imagine the nurses worked on a Saturday for nothing so I don't know what the doctor just couldn't have done it in ordinary time when she seen me
Click to expand...

Most GPs delegate T2 diabetes care to a nurse. This is common. More serious cases are referred to a specialist clinic, mostly T1s.
The nurses go on specific training courses for this and the majority of them know what they are doing. GPs don't normally have specialist training in diabetes. There will always be bad apples, but there are also bad apple GPs.

I am happy with seeing my nurse. She has followed the Diabetes Care Pathway to the letter since I was diagnosed 4 years ago. Her dietary advice is the Eatwell Plate, but she recognises this is wrong but has to follow guidelines. I have never once seen a doctor in relation to my diabetes, and I am glad about that.
 
At least you were told that you are had one has been booked not even entioned by nurse if the surgery is getting extra money for suppling xtra services then the money should on training or extra equipment is needed to supply the service and not somebody's back pocket
 
The DN probably has referred you for the eye screening, and you should get a letter giving you a date for the appointment in due course.
But you could ring the surgery to check that you have been referred.
 
Prem51 said:
The DN probably has referred you for the eye screening, and you should get a letter giving you a date for the appointment in due course.
But you could ring the surgery to check that you have been referred.
Click to expand...

And bear in mind that some eye screening clinics often only call to each locality at certain times of the year as they are mobile, so you may have a long wait - but the recommendations say no more than 6 months.
 
les1480 said:
Not had an eye test booked or any information at all nothing to read
Click to expand...
You should get your retinal appointment automatically through the post once you are on the diabetic register Your doctor or nurse can't make the appointments. Sometimes it can take a few months for the first one depending how busy they are and where you have to go to get it done
 
I have never been seen by a gp. Had a phone call to tell me to book an appointment with a nurse. He didnt tell me I was diabetic.

My nurse did not book me an eye appointment. If not for this site I would not.even have known about it. Not a lot of info, but told to follow the eatwell guide. The one thats sponsored by tesco.

Do not expect the nhs to supply the information you need. You have to look for yourself. Having said that, I would still rather have our nhs than a system which meant the poor just died.


Good luck with it all. My hbalc is now under diabetic levels and I have lost a great deal of weight. But still diabetic !! This site is a life saver.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Most GPs delegate T2 diabetes care to a nurse. This is common. More serious cases are referred to a specialist clinic, mostly T1s.
The nurses go on specific training courses for this and the majority of them know what they are doing. GPs don't normally have specialist training in diabetes. There will always be bad apples, but there are also bad apple GPs.

I am happy with seeing my nurse. She has followed the Diabetes Care Pathway to the letter since I was diagnosed 4 years ago. Her dietary advice is the Eatwell Plate, but she recognises this is wrong but has to follow guidelines. I have never once seen a doctor in relation to my diabetes, and I am glad about that.
Click to expand...
I suffer from a whole variety of ailments, and have found specialist nurses to be more helpful, up to date and knowledgeable than GPs or even specialists who must earn many times their salary. It has happened to me to have a nurse follow me out of the room after my consultation with a specialist, shut the door behind her, lean on it and then come out with what the specialist should have told me.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
And bear in mind that some eye screening clinics often only call to each locality at certain times of the year as they are mobile, so you may have a long wait - but the recommendations say no more than 6 months.
Click to expand...
Where are you?
When the reminder letter from the nhs comes, I walk down to my local opticians, and they do the full screening, retinal photographs and all. If there's a problem, they say so and then refer me to the eye clinic at the local hospital.
 
Seacrow said:
Where are you?
When the reminder letter from the nhs comes, I walk down to my local opticians, and they do the full screening, retinal photographs and all. If there's a problem, they say so and then refer me to the eye clinic at the local hospital.
Click to expand...

I choose to use the official screening rather than an optician. My choice. I know then that it will be done according to the correct procedure. My letter comes directly from the national screening service, not the NHS.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
I choose to use the official screening rather than an optician. My choice. I know then that it will be done according to the correct procedure. My letter comes directly from the national screening service, not the NHS.
Click to expand...
This is the official screening. I get one letter from the screening service, and one from the nhs. There's a list of qualified and local opticians I can choose from. I'm not given the option of a mobile screening clinic, so I was wondering if you lived somewhere classified as 'remote' to get that choice.
 
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