Our Services A - Z - Diabetes & Endocrinology
About the service
Welcome to the Diabetes service.
Diabetes. Prevent it. Cure it. Beat it.
For those at risk, we seek prevention. For those who have it, we seek a cure.
Until there's a cure, we aim to beat it:
- We will provide timely specialist advice
- We will facilitate informed choice
- We will promote independence and self-care through education and empowerment.
The adult diabetes team currently delivers over 30 clinics per week across health care venues in the St Helens borough, offering both weekend and evening appointments to support patient choice.
The department consists of:
- Consultants who specialise in various aspects of diabetes and endocrinology
- Nurse Consultant
- Diabetes Specialist Nurses
- Diabetes Nurse Educator
- Diabetes Research Nurse
- Diabetes Dietitian
- Diabetes Admin Staff
Over the last decade, the team have strived (and succeeded) to establish a structured, care pathway-driven, high quality service with engagement and involvement of its users, supported by its proactive diabetes user group.
The diabetes unit has an active research programme and has received national recognition for a high quality diabetes service.
Location - Diabetes Centre, Orange Zone, St Helens Hospital.
Tel: 01744 646 200
- Option 1 - Appointments
- Option 2 - Specialist Nurse or Dietician
- Option 3 - GP seeking advice
- Option 4 - Ward seeking advice
- Option 5 - Emergency advice line
Need to speak to a Community Podiatrist (Chiropodist)?
- Advice: call 0151 290 2000
- New appointment: call 0151 430 1234
Please select from the options below
- Contact the Specialist Team
Address: Lesley Mitchell, Diabetes Specialist Team, Diabetes Centre, St Helens Hospital, Marshalls Cross Road, St Helens, WA9 3DA.
Email: diabetesspecialistoutreachteam@sthk.nhs.uk
Phone: 01744-646-200
Option 1 - Appointments
Option 2 - Specialist Nurse or Dietician
Option 3 - GP seeking advice
Option 4 - Ward seeking advice
Option 5 - Emergency advice line
Need to speak to a Community Podiatrist (Chiropodist)?
Advice: call 0151-290-2000New appointment: call 0151-430-1234
- Blood Sugar Testing
- Canagliflozin
- Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM or Freestyle Libre)
The St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Specialist Diabetes Team offers support for:
- CGM/Freestyle Libre starts
- CGM/Freestyle Libre reviews
- CGM/Freestyle Libre user training
During the COVID-19 crisis we are temporarily not starting any new patients on CGM/Freestyle Libre (except during pregnancy) because we cannot assure appropriate support for new starters at this time.
Please see link below for patient LibreView account set up and device drivers installation:
- Dapagliflozin
- Diabetes and Breastfeeding
- Diabetes and Covid-19 Coronavirus
Follow national Public Health England advice:
- Useful advice can be found on Diabetes UK website:https://www.diabetes.org.uk
- More generally, you might find these NHS videos helpful while getting in touch with people is harder:
Prediabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 Teenagers
Type 2 Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes
BAME T2 Community Introduction
- Diabetes Education
Basic Education for Newly Diagnosed Type 1or Type 2 Diabetes Patients (BEND1 and BEND2)
In response to the present national COVID-19 emergency, we have had to make changes to our service to protect the population and the NHS, to minimise the risk of infection for local people with diabetes, to manage reduced availability of staff and to allow some resources to be redirected to the COVID crisis.
In line with national recommendations, we have suspended all our group education sessions.
Unrelated to COVID-19, and in line with the national plans, the region has decided to provide most diabetes education online.
Digital diabetes resources are available via “My Diabetes My Way” which is provided by the Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. This provides education for individuals with newly diagnosed diabetes. Patients can self-register via the following link:
- Diabetes and Footcare
Diabetes increases the risk of foot ulcers, foot wounds, foot infections and amputation.
Good Diabetes Footcare reduces these risks.
Every person with diabetes should have a foot check at least once per year.
People with nerve damage, poor circulation or other foot problems may need to be seen more often.
If you haven’t had a foot check, ask your GP or Practice nurse to sort one.
If you develop a foot ulcer or wound or infection, see your GP immediately for assessment. It’s URGENT or call:
Advice: call 0151-290-2000
New appointment: call 0151-430-1234
- Diabetes and Insulin Pump Therapy
The St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Specialist Diabetes Team offers support for:
- Insulin pump starts
- Insulin pump reviews
- Pump user training
During the COVID-19 crisis we are temporarily not starting any new patients on pumps because we cannot assure appropriate support for new starters at this time.
We are also advising ALL pump users of the critical importance of having in-date supplies of:
- Insulin pens
- Blood sugar testing equipment
- Blood ketone testing equipment
- Diabetes and Pregnancy
Pregnancy is safe for most people with diabetes.
Diabetes increases risks for mother and baby.
Diabetes risks to mother and baby are less if:
You have excellent blood sugar control at CONCEPTION.
You’re taking FOLIC ACID 5 mg daily at CONCEPTION.
Don’t stop contraception or try to get pregnant until you’ve spoken to your GP or practice nurse.
If you’re pregnant, get referred urgently.
Some women temporarily develop diabetes during pregnancy (Gestational Diabetes). If this happens your midwife or consultant will explain what needs to be done.
- Diabetes Research
The St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Specialist Diabetes Team actively promotes and supports and undertakes clinical research to improve care for people with diabetes.
If you are attending the team and feel you would like to contribute to/take part in diabetes clinical research, please mention this to a member of the team at your visit.
- Dietician Support
The St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Specialist Diabetes Team includes specialist dieticians for diabetes-related eating and healthy lifestyle issues.
If you feel you need specialist diabetes dietician support managing your diabetes, please see your GP or Practice Nurse about referral to the team.
- Easy Read Diabetes General Information
The link below will take you to a short booklet we’ve produced to help people during the COVID-19 crisis.
It’s 1 page per topic and easy to read and easy to understand:
St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Useful Stuff about Diabetes book .
- Emergency Advice Line
For people from St Helens & Halton
- Life-threatening emergency, call 999
- Urgent DIABETES advice, call 01744-646-200 (select Option 5)
Speak to a Diabetes Specialist
8am to 10pm weekdays
8am to 4pm weekends and Bank Holidays (these times may vary slightly over the Christmas Bank Holidays)
365 days a year
- Getting Non-Urgent Help
For people from St Helens & Halton
Routine – ask your GP or Practice Nurse: they may be able to sort it or if not, they may seek specialist advice or refer you.
Are you attending the St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Specialist Diabetes Team?
Phone 01744-646-200
Option 1 - Appointments
Option 2 - Specialist Nurse or Dietician
Option 3 - GP seeking advice
Option 4 - Ward seeking advice
Option 5 - Emergency advice line
Need to speak to a Community Podiatrist (Chiropodist)?
Advice: call 0151-290-2000
New appointment: call 0151-430-1234
- Gliclazide
- Gliptins
- Insulin Dose Adjustment
If in doubt, ask your GP / Practice Nurse or if they can’t help, get referred for Specialist Support.
We can teach insulin dose adjustment by Skype or Telephone.
During the COVID-19 crisis, we’re trying to avoid exposing people with diabetes to hospital.
Ask your GP about a referral for a Skype or Telephone appointment.
We’re working on producing videos to teach insulin dose adjustment, but this may take a little while.
Click here to view Interpreting Blood Sugar Tests and Adjusting Insulin guide
- Ketones
Urine ketone testing when taking ‘Gliflozins’
- Liraglutide
- Location
Please click link to view relevant map of Diabetes Centre at St Helens Hospital
- Meet the Team
- Meet our Young Adult Diabetes Team
- Metformin
- Patient Information Leaflets
Title - BEND 2 Basic Engagement for Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Group Education
Description - BEND 2 was developed by the Specialist Diabetes Team at St Helens Hospital. It meets national standards for diabetes education and was developed with local people with diabetes. It has been running since 2006.Title - Diabetes Foot Care Glucose Balance Telephone Clinic
Description - Good blood glucose levels are important for patients with diabetes who have foot ulceration. Improving blood glucose levels can help foot ulcers to heal more quickly and can reduce problems with infection. Good blood glucose levels may help prevent worsening of foot ulcers and also help avoid amputations.Title - Dietary Management of Diabetic Gastroparesis
Description - Gastroparesis is a chronic (long-term) condition in which the stomach cannot empty itself in the normal way. It is a type of neuropathy (nerve damage) affecting the nerves which control the movement of food through the digestive tract. This can lead to a delay of food leaving the stomach.Title - Foot Care Card - Staff
Description - Foot Care Card - printableTitle - Help to Manage Lifestyle (HTML2) Group Education Type 2 Diabetes
Description - HTML2 was developed by the Specialist Diabetes Team at St Helens Hospital. It meets national standards for diabetes education and was developed with local people with diabetes. It has been running since 2006 (formerly week 2 of BEND2).Title - Hydrocortisone Replacement Therapy What To Do During Sickness/Stress
Description - If you have been diagnosed with a condition which means you have to take replacement cortisol in the form of hydrocortisone then this leaflet will explain what you need to do if you become unwell or experience severe stress.Title - Insulin Pump Training Clinic
Description - Your insulin pump / continuous glucose monitoring will be delivered to the Diabetes Unit prior to your appointment, unless we have pre-arranged a remote training session; in this case we may arrange for the items to be delivered directly to your home - you will have received notification from the department if this is the case.Title - Saline Infusion Test
Description - Your doctor has recommended that you have a Saline Suppression Test. - Pioglitazone
- Problematic Hypoglycaemia
- Psychological Support
The St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Specialist Diabetes Team includes specialist psychologists for diabetes-related psychological issues.
If you feel you need psychological support managing your diabetes, please see your GP or Practice Nurse about referral to the team.
- Resources for Professionals
Useful Links and Documents
Documents
- Semaglutide
- Type 2 Insulin OHA Combo Adjustment
- Understanding Blood Sugar Readings
Not everyone with diabetes needs to check their blood sugars. If in doubt, ask your GP or Nurse.
If you check, you should have your personal targets. The most common targets are:
- Before Breakfast: 5-7
- Before Lunch: 4-7
- Before Tea: 4-7
- Before Bed: 6-10
How often you check depends on what you’re doing and how stable your sugars run. If you drive, you must follow DVLA guidance about testing (https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-driving) or https://www.diabetes.org.uk)
Blood sugar readings always vary. No-one gets all their readings inside these targets!
If most of your readings are out of range, ask your GP or Practice Nurse for advice.
Click here to view Interpreting Blood Sugar Tests and Adjusting Insulin guide
Page last updated on 02nd May 2023
