Diabetes hospital admissions cut by care home trial

Jason Arunn Murugesu - BBC News, North East and Cumbria
·1-min read
Brown haired woman in nurse's outfit smiling at camera next to blonde haired woman
Julie Sinclair and Emma Golby, who ran the training, said the trial was a success [North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust]

A care home trial has led to a reduction in the number of people admitted to hospital with diabetes-related issues.

The number has fallen from 22 admissions in 2023 to just one so far this year.

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust is halfway through a trial with seven care homes in the region.

The trial has been a "huge success", said lead diabetes specialist nurse Julie Sinclair.

Doctor places hand on the hand of a person in a wheelchair
Diabetes-related hospital admissions has been cut in this trial [Getty]

The project has involved raising awareness among care home staff about how best to safeguard patients against diabetes-related complications, and training them in continuous glucose monitoring, said Ms Sinclair.

This can help staff identify early signs of diabetes-related complications such as hypoglycaemia, she said.

Rachael Smith, the manager of Hartlepool's Queens Meadow care home said the training has improved the confidence of staff looking after diabetes patients.

The trial has resulted in a reduction in diabetes-related hospital admissions from the cares homes from 235 combined days in 2023 to just four this year.

"We were pleasantly surprised by the outcomes," said Ms Sinclair.

A spokesperson for the NHS trust said University Hospital Tees was also looking to implement the trial.

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