This is a list of locally available services for those with diabetes.
DESMOND is the education offered to people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, or those with type 2 diabetes who wish to have further information on how to manage their diabetes. You can ask your GP to refer you to the course or you can complete a self-referral form. To register yourself, please click on the link below.
Exercise
This is a subsidised personal 12 week fitness programme. Any health professional, such as your GP or practice nurse can refer you. The most local sessions are at IVC Sports Centre, but if you work in another village there may be classes there. Total cost is currently £88 for 24 one hour sessions and 2 assessments.
Several in the HI Diabetes Support Group have completed this scheme, and have then gone on to be members of the Sports Centre! Full details here: https://www.scambs.gov.uk/active
Tip: Don’t download and fill in the referral form! Ask your doctor or nurse and they will print one out with all your details, conditions and medication pre-filled. You’ve got to get a signature from them anyway!
Everyone Health offers a range of health and wellbeing services under the “Healthy You” banner which are free of charge to residents and are funded by the county council. The services include adult weight management, which is based around simple circuit training and is available at a range of centres. Falls prevention is a one to one service which considers fall hazards within the home. CamQuit helps people to stop smoking. Alcohol reduction does exactly what it says, working to reduce the amount of consumption. Full details at www.healthyyou.org.uk
Walking groups
HI Walking Group
Meets Friday mornings. Phone: 07717 798268 (mobile) / 07305 700910 (mobile) Email: kaylya51@gmail.com elizabeth_lynn@ntlworld.com
Histon and Impington Gentle Walking Group
Meets Thursdays at varying locations for walks around the village on firm surfaces, or via the Guided Bus to walk in surrounding villages.
Footcare
Annual checks
At your annual diabetes review your feet should be inspected carefully. This is not always completely carried out by health professionals. What should be done is covered in the leaflet downloadable below:
Feet Focus Community Footcare
Cambridgeshire NHS has set up Feet Focus Community Footcare, which is delivered by registered Podiatrists and Chiropodists. This is a low cost service, with a one-off fee of £10 for your own nail set of nippers and file that you take to each appointment. It is then £20 for nail cutting and care, and £25 for nail care and corns and hard skin treatment. See the link below for details on how to book. If the podiatrist decides you should be receiving the NHS service you will be referred. Fast growing nails should be clipped every 6-8 weeks, normal growth 3 months.
Eye Screening
The fine blood vessels in the back of the eye – the retina – are very susceptible to high blood glucose levels, which can lead to vision problems. It is therefore essential that those with diabetes are scanned annually, a process called diabetic retinopathy.
This is handled in Cambridgeshire by the East Anglia Diabetic Eye Screening Programme, provided by Health Intelligence Ltd. Full details of the service, eye conditions and their treatment, and how to access the service can be found at http://www.eadesp.co.uk.
Psychological Wellbeing
Living with diabetes requires juggling diabetes management alongside normal everyday life. Understandably this can seem overwhelming, frustrating and stressful. It is common to experience mood changes.
Research suggests you are twice as likely to experience difficulties with anxiety and depression if you have diabetes. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels can lead to feelings of anxiety, while feeling low in mood can make it hard to manage your diabetes.
National clinical health guidelines have demonstrated that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is useful for people who are struggling with managing their diabetes. CBT can enhance peoples’ understanding of diabetes care and has also been shown to improve mood and glycaemic control.
CPFT Psychological Well-being Service http://www.cpft.nhs.uk works alongside and collaborates with GPs, hospitals, diabetes specialist nurses and consultants. We will help you recognise if you are experiencing anxiety or depression and how this might affect health and management of your diabetes. Therapists have training and experience in working with people with diabetes and other physical health conditions. Together, we will be able to talk about the range of therapy options that would be most helpful and suitable for you.
You can also self-refer here https://www.iaptportal.co.uk/cam.html or phone 0300 300 0055. The service is free.