Becoming an adult

Young persons diabetes clinic

Ipswich Hospital has been selected as one of two sites across the Eastern Region to pilot new ways of providing diabetes support to young people. The National Diabetes Programme’s Transition and Young Adult care pilot aims to improve the care and outcomes of young people with diabetes transitioning from paediatric to adolescent care, and from adolescent care to adult care.

The diabetes team supporting young people

If you are between 16 and 25 years old with diabetes, we support you through the transition between paediatric and adult care. Working with allocated keyworkers you will attend regular appointments, and an annual review to check that all is well with your feet, kidneys and blood pressure.

Sharon and Zach’s main aims are to offer non-medical support with issues you may be facing outside of the clinic, for example:

• financial support
• job applications
• travel issues

By supporting you to improve your management of these stressful life events they hope that you will feel more relaxed and able to manage your own diabetes better. With that in mind, they will also be acting as a link between patient and clinic helping to find answers and create support for any issues you may be facing related to your diabetes.
Together they are helping to build on the existing support that the clinic offers to all 16-25 year old patients.
Keep an eye out for them around clinic and follow the Instagram page for upcoming events/education they may be putting on in the upcoming months.

Mental health wellbeing

We have two clinical psychologists that are part of the diabetes team. We recognise that managing diabetes can have an impact on your mental health and wellbeing. We are able to offer support in relation to this – whether that is joining an appointment with your keyworker or ongoing therapy support. If you would like to meet with a psychologist, please discuss this at one of your regular clinic appointments.

We will also be asking all young people that attend the Diabetes Centre to fill in a wellbeing questionnaire when attending for their diabetes annual review. This is so that we can further understand how diabetes impacts your wellbeing, and offer support if needed.

Young people’s diabetes clinics and events

Clinics are held Monday afternoons and Wednesday mornings in the Diabetes Centre.

Off site drop in clinics are held monthly at a central location that is easy to access.  You can talk to a diabetes specialist nurse, youth worker and a  psychologist.  The drop in clinics give you the chance to ask questions face to face in a supportive and informal environment.

We run regular activity days such as an evening at Boom Battle Bar, Suffolk Ski Centre, paintballing and cooking events.