You can be referred for an outpatient appointment by your GP or your practice nurse.

If you need to stay in hospital due to your Diabetes or Endocrine disorder, you will most likely stay on Grenville ward, our Specialist renal and endocrine ward.

If you suffer from Diabetes and have been hospitalised for a different condition, we have a dedicated team of diabetes nurse specialists who can visit you and assist with control of your diabetes during your stay to ensure the best possible outcome and minimise the time you need to remain in hospital.

What happens during the screening?

First of all we’ll give you a simple sight test and then we’ll give you some drops to dilate your pupils. We then photograph the back of your eyes but the camera does not come into contact with your eyes. The photographs are then reviewed by experts and we send a letter to you and your GP within 6 weeks letting you know the screening results.

The appointment will last approximately 30 minutes. Eye drops may affect your vision for a few hours, so you should not drive after your appointment.

Contacts

Diabetic Retinal Screening Co-ordinator

Christine Ellis
01872 254582
Christine.ellis7@nhs.net

Enquiries about Diabetic Retinal Screening

01872 254674
rch-tr.DESP@nhs.net

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need screening?

As a patient with diabetes, you are at risk of developing permanent damage to your eyes, which can cause loss of vision or even blindness. You need a thorough check once a year to detect any early signs of eye disease, so that you can receive appropriate treatment and prevent further damage. However, these changes take several years to develop. If disease is detected early enough, laser treatment is very effective in preventing loss of vision.

Are there any risks or complications?

The screening is non-invasive and very safe. However on rare occasions, you may experience some discomfort in your eyes after having the eye drops. If after six hours you are still experiencing pain or discomfort, you should contact your GP (or at evenings or weekends, contact your local Accident and Emergency department).

How does the service work?

Your GP will refer you to the diabetic retinal screening service and we will send you an appointment. To change your appointment, please contact the diabetic retinal screening office, whose details will be on your appointment letter.

What do I need to bring with me?

If you wear glasses, please bring them with you. Dilating the pupils lets in more light to the eye, so you may also like to bring a pair of sunglasses to wear for comfort in bright light.

When will I have my next test?

If your results are normal, the DRS office will recall you for your annual check up in 12 months’ time. However, in certain circumstances such as pregnancy, you may be recalled sooner.

When will I know the result?

After the screening, we’ll check your images and send your results to you and your GP. If necessary, we will arrange for you to attend a hospital eye clinic for further examination, and possible treatment.

Will I still need to visit my optician?

Yes, you’ll still need to see your optician for your usual sight test and glaucoma check.

We help our patients achieve optimal diabetes control and optimal physical, psychological, intellectual, educational and social development. We take a child, and family, centred approach, and services are tailored to fit to each individual child and family’s needs.

We have a structured education programme to empower our children and young people to self-manage their diabetes with the support of their families and others involved in their day-to-day care. We also provide Insulin Pump Therapy for those who meet the self-management and NICE guidelines criteria.

Providing the best possible service

Our service meets the Paediatric Diabetes National Tariff criteria and we follow national and international guidance on diabetes care. We also attend the meetings of the South West Paediatric Diabetes Network.

The quality of our service is monitored by annual submission of data to the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA), by performing local audits, and by taking part in the National Paediatric Diabetes Peer Review.

Feedback from our children and young people, and their families, is achieved by taking part in the Patient Reported Experience Measure, which is conducted annually as part of the NPDA. We also work closely with our local parents’ support group, Supporting Kernow’s Young Diabetics (SKYD).

Contact Information

In an emergency

Please call the Royal Cornwall Hospital Switchboard on 01872 250000. If is between 8am and 8pm, ask to page the Paediatric Diabetes Nurse on call. If it is between 8pm and 8am, ask them to page the Paediatric Registrar on call.

Paediatric Diabetes Service office

01872 254567

The Paediatric Diabetes Service Team

Consultants

Dr Katie Mallam (Lead)
Dr Simon Robertson

Paediatric Diabetes Nurses

Anita England (Lead Nurse, Paediatric Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist and Transition Nurse)
Shelagh Newman
Michelle Skews
Pip Ali
Becky Luke

Lead Dietitian

Gemma Burley

Dietitian

Jo Craddock

Administrator and Data Coordinator

Julie Kirby

Multi Disciplinary Clinics (MDTs)

We run a number of clinics across the county. Any child with diabetes will be offered an appointment in a specialist MDT clinic at least 4 times per year.

Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurses

A PDSN helps establish a holistic and developmental approach to diabetes care in patients from infancy to adolescence. We do this by setting realistic objectives according to the child’s age and level of understanding, and the needs of the family.

Alongside other members of the paediatric diabetes team, we coordinate care for our patients and their families. We assess, develop, implement and evaluate programmes of holistic care and providing specialist clinical advice to health carers and others. We use clinical judgement and autonomous decision-making about the specialist nursing care and management of patients and, after assessing a patient’s needs and preferences, undertake a range of specialist clinical actions within a specific setting.

Dietetic Service

As Registered Dietitians, we are experts in nutrition and meal planning. We’ll explain how food affects your blood glucose levels and make sure you’re getting enough food to grow and develop properly.

When you see us, we’ll ask you a few questions about your eating habits and activity levels. But, we are not the food police so please don’t be anxious about meeting with us!

In fact, you may just enjoy some of the things we can do together which include:

• Learn about carbohydrate counting in a fun way
• Learn about food and nutrition whilst eating your favourite foods
• Meet up in school to talk about food and diabetes
• Talk about exercise management in our exercise clinic
• Talk about exercise management in an exercise group whilst playing fun games
• Learn about a healthy, balanced diet
• Explore different ways to meet your nutritional requirements

Guidelines

Please click here to view our guidelines

Helpful Resources

• Supporting Kernow’s Young Diabetics (SKYD) – local support group run by parents. This is a private group on Facebook, you’ll need to ask to join.
• South West Paediatric Diabetes Network Parents Group – This is a private group on Facebook, you’ll need to ask to join.
• DigiBete – a video platform and social enterprise that helps young people and families to manage Type 1 Diabetes. Created in partnership with Leeds Children’s Hospital
• NHS information on Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
• An introduction to insulin pumps (on YouTube)
• Snail Mail Club – a pen-pal club for kids and teens with type 1 diabetes all around the world
• The National Children and Young People’s Diabetes Network
• Excarbs – Detailed advice on how to exercise safely with diabetes
• Podcasts for ‘children and families’ and for ‘young people’ with diabetes – produced by The Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital in Norfolk
• ‘My Life’ – information for children (includes a short film, ‘What is Type 1 diabetes? A children’s guide’)
• Information for teenagers on Diabetes UK
• #Type1Uncut – videos for and by young adults with Type 1 diabetes
• Information for schools on Diabetes UK – including how to order school packs and links to legal information
• The patient information section on the Association of Children’s Diabetes Clinicians’ website
• Kids section on Diabetes.co.uk
• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) – homepage and section on support for newly-diagnosed children

You can also find out more about how we care for children with long term conditions, such as diabetes, on our child health pages.