Insulin Pump Clinic

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How to get the most from your appointment

Welcome to the Milton Keynes University Hospital Insulin Pump Clinic.

The Insulin Pump Team

Doctors:
Dr Shanthi Chandran, Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist
Dr Asif Humayun, Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist
Diabetes Pump Specialist Nurse:
Tel: 01908 995967 (insulin pump service option)
Email: [email protected]

Diabetes Specialist dietitian:
Imelda Robson
Tel: 01908 997678 (direct line & answer phone)
Email: [email protected]

All are highly trained and experienced in insulin pump therapy.

Contacts
If you need advice or wish to leave message, please initially contact the insulin pump service.

What aspects of my diabetes care are dealt with at the insulin pump clinic?
• Everything to do with the insulin pump & blood glucose control, including technical problems, hypos, infusion sites and sets, diet, and carbohydrate counting, is dealt with at the insulin pump clinic.
• Other routine diabetes care, blood tests and the annual diabetes reviews are dealt with at your GP surgery and you should continue to attend your GP surgery for these.
• Other diabetes problems, such as eye, foot or kidney problems, blood pressure or weight, are not dealt with in this clinic, but will be discussed, as necessary.
These are dealt with either at your GP surgery or in the other specialist clinics you attend or can be referred to by your GP.

What happens at the insulin pump clinic?

The clinic is held either in the Maple Unit or virtually (Video/ telephone consultation). Appointments last up to 30 minutes. A doctor, nurse & dietitian are present, all trained to deal with all aspects of pump therapy. At some appointments e.g. every few years, when you are due a new pump or if you are needing a lot of help, you will be seen by all 3 together, but mostly you will be seen by any one of them. The team will find out what issues or problems you want to discuss and sort out in the clinic and work around this. The information you bring to clinic, including insulin pump blood glucose records, food diaries, fasting basal assessments etc, will be analysed. When possible, all the information will be downloaded from the insulin pump and your blood glucose meter and analysed on computer in the clinic.

At least once a year infusion sites will be checked. In discussion with you, changes will be made to your pump treatment if necessary, for example to basal rates, carbohydrate ratios etc.

Getting the most from your clinic visit
• Please get prepared for the clinic well in advance.
• Think about the issues with your diabetes and the insulin pump you would like to sort out.
• Please help us to help you by bringing your blood glucose meter & all the necessary information to the clinic.
• Please complete the “Insulin pump clinic preparation form” and bring to the clinic. This covers much of the required information and helps you to think about and write down what you would like to sort out in the clinic. It also makes efficient use of the limited time available.
• Re-read your copy of the last clinic letter.

Please bring the following with you to the clinic (this is information enables us to give you the best help):
• Completed “Insulin pump clinic preparation form”.
• Blood glucose meter, for downloading in clinic (if possible).
• If your meter cannot be downloaded, at least 1-month blood glucose record, using insulin pump diary, with blood glucose checked at least 4 times daily and with several readings at 2-3 a.m., including information on hypos.
• Information on hypos, possible causes and hypo awareness.
• Fasting basal assessment if requested.
• A list of current medication (bring repeat prescription form).
• Records and co-operation cards from your GP surgery, if any.
• Please make sure you have had an HbA1c blood test checked at your GP surgery within a few months before the appointment.
• If you have been given access to DIASEND, or if you have a Medtronic pump and use Carelink software, please consider downloading the information from your pump and blood glucose meter to these systems on your home computer a week before your clinic appointment. The information can then be viewed and analysed on their secure websites by us & by yourself before your appointment.

After the clinic
• You will receive a letter written by the team member(s) you saw, summarising the clinic appointment & detailing decisions, actions taken & plans made. This will usually be addressed to you & copied to your GP.
• Please read this carefully and follow any advice & plans.