Sheffield Diabetes Foot Team are recognised for pioneering work to reduce amputations by 50%.
23 October 2015
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Dr Rajiv Gandhi, Consultant in Diabetes at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust |
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| The new care pathway has resulted in major amputation rates reducing by almost 50% compared to 2009. |
The Diabetes Foot Team from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals has been recognised with a national award for significantly reducing diabetes related amputation rates in Sheffield by almost 50%.
The specialist team won the Best Initiative in Specialised Services category at the Quality in Care Diabetes awards earlier. The awards aim to recognise, reward and share good practice in diabetes management, education and patient care.
The Sheffield team carried out a 12-month analysis of the root cause of all amputations which resulted in a number of different initiatives being introduced to improve patient outcomes and pathways.
The initiatives include setting up a diabetes foot hotline to provide community healthcare workers immediate access to advice and support from hospital based consultant diabetologists. Access to training for primary care screeners has improved, as has the level of education and information available to patients.The enhanced service allows patients to be seen by the specialist team immediately a problem arises.
Dr Rajiv Gandhi, Consultant in Diabetes at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “This award is a testament to the hard work of the Sheffield Diabetes Foot Team, of whom we should be tremendously proud. People with diabetes, who develop problems with their feet, need to be seen rapidly by the specialist foot team if we are to avoid serious complications like amputations. Working closely together across hospital and community settings, and putting the patient at the centre of the care we deliver, has been the key to the success we have achieved.”
This new care pathway has resulted in major amputation rates reducing by almost 50% compared to 2009.
Dr Gandhi also commented: “Being able to reduce amputation rates by almost 50% in such a short period, particularly at a time when national rates have remained static, is a stunning achievement that is having a tangible positive impact on the lives of people with diabetes in Sheffield.”
ENDS
Media Contact:
Andrew Johnson, Communications Officer
Tel: 0114 226 5033
Email: andrew.johnson@sth.nhs.uk
