Diabetes services

There are a number of services that can help you when it comes to looking after yourself if you have diabetes

How to reduce your diabetes risk

Type 2 diabetes is often linked to being overweight. That means there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing it. Around 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. If you maintain a healthy weight, you can reduce your risk of developing the condition. If you think that you may already have symptoms of diabetes, see your GP. There are no lifestyle changes that can lower your risk of type 1 diabetes.

Routine care

The majority of people with diabetes are looked after by the practice diabetes team.

We like to see all people with diabetes at least once a year for an annual health check. We may see you more often if this is necessary.

You will receive an invite for your annual health check with our diabetes nurses. You will be asked to attend for a blood test before this appointment. In your review, we check

  • Blood tests for cholesterol
  • Kidney function and diabetes control (HbA1c)
  • Your blood pressure
  • Your feet
  • Do a urine test

You should also have an annual retinal screening (photographs of the back of your eye) by the diabetic screening eye programme.

There are times when you will need to be seen more often than once a year, for example after you are first diagnosed or if problems are detected during one of the routine reviews. We will arrange these additional reviews as needed with your agreement and this may be with a nurse or one of the doctors.

The practice team

We have three trained diabetes nurses nurses in the team: Lynn Cusack, Vanessa Ingle and Diane Pearson.

The diabetes lead for the practice is Dr Bobet, although all doctors at the practice see patients with diabetes.

Specialist service

If there is a particular problem identified with your diabetes care that we cannot help you with in the practice, then we will refer you to a specialist service.

For the majority of specialist problems we use Leeds Community Healthcare diabetes service, though for some people we also refer to Wharfedale General Hospital or St. James’s Hospital.

Useful external links