MORE specialist staff working in the area of diabetes have been recruited for Limerick and the Mid West and are due to begin training in the use of advanced equipment and treatment.
The newly-recruited staff are to begin training in DAFNE (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating), which aims to help adults with type 1 diabetes lead as normal a life as possible, whilst also maintaining blood glucose levels within healthy targets to reduce the risk of long-term diabetes complications.
Diabetes patients have long campaigned for more staff and better support options from the service and recent staff appointments means the service, provided by the UL Hospitals Group, will be improved.
Following those recent appointments, the diabetes team now has three dieticians – including two senior dieticians – four clinical nurse specialists, three staff nurses, three consultant endocrinologists, one of whom is due to take up the position shortly.
Previously, lower staffing levels made it difficult for the service to provide insulin pumps to adults deemed suitable for such treatment.
A pump eliminates the need for patients to inject insulin to maintain a healthy level and to avoid major diabetes complications.
Advances have now been made to have the team trained and accredited by DAFNE UK and to provide the service for patients in the Mid West.
