What is the Local Diabetes Network (LDN)?
Diabetes is increasing and now affects up to 5.4% of our local population. The Local Diabetes Network (LDN) was formed several years ago following an amalgamation of the then Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust Diabetes Forum and the Local Diabetes Service Advisory Group (LDSAG).
What does it do?
The LDN meets 2-3 times a year and allows patients and health care professionals to come together and discuss the best way forward for diabetes care. It looks at ways of improving all aspects of the local diabetes service. It monitors how the service is delivered and is a driving force for change to the way diabetes services are provided and delivered within our local area.
Who are the members?
Members of the LDN group include:
- People with diabetes and their carers
- GPs
- Practice Nurses
- Diabetes Consultants and Diabetes Nurses
- A Consultant in Public Health
- Representatives from Diabetes UK
- Podiatrists
- Dietitians
- Pharmacists
Many others come as visitors, or to give presentations on relevant issues.
Patient representation on this group is very important. It is vital for people who have diabetes to be involved in groups such as this. It is the person living with diabetes who knows the limitations and problems that can occur when managing and living with this condition. Therefore, we need the views and opinions of people with diabetes on the way diabetes care is provided and developed.
The sort of things discussed at these meetings would include:-
- New initiatives within the service
- Updates to the service
- New treatments available
- What sort of services others provide and what we can learn from it
- Updates on community and voluntary sector services for those with diabetes
If you as a person with diabetes would like to become involved or would like to know more about the work of the Local Diabetes Network, please contact Phyl Reynolds on 028 9056 7977.
What are the aims of the LDN?
The general aims are:
- To detect and treat diabetes and its complications at an early stage.
- To provide high quality diabetes care, in whatever setting for all the residents of the area.
- To deliver a planned programme of care, involving all health care professionals, for all patients with diabetes.
- To agree an individual management plan with the patient.
- To audit the care provided to people with diabetes in order to constantly review and improve the service.
- To identify all those patients diagnosed with diabetes in the area.
- To ensure that all with diabetes get the care they need either at hospital clinics or in general practice.