NCL Diabetes and Weight Management Network
The NCL Diabetes and Weight Management Network meets on the third Thursday of each month to discuss projects, services and wider aspects of diabetes and weight management care for NCL residents. It has core representation from primary and secondary care, community teams (such as diabetes specialist nurses and dietetics), diabetes education teams, foot services and public health.
The chairing of the network is shared between primary and secondary care. The network has a clinical advisory role and feeds into the NCL Long Term Conditions Steering Group.
All clinicians working on diabetes are welcome to join the network meetings. If you have any queries or would like to attend the meetings, contact Dr Karl Roberts, GP and network co-chair (see Clinical Leads tab).
NCL anti-hyperglycaemic agents for type 2 diabetes guidance
The NCL antihyperglycaemic agents for type 2 diabetes guidance was first published in August 2021, following a joint review of the evidence for patients across primary and secondary care. The document includes guidance on setting HbA1C targets for individual patients. It has recently been updated following publication of the updated NICE guideline (NG28) and includes updated recommendations on the place in therapy for SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 mimetics.
The NCL anti-hyperglycaemic agents for type 2 diabetes guidance is intended to be a guide for all clinicians working for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Please see the Prescribing Guidelines and Fact Sheets sections below for additional management of diabetes guidance including, insulin, blood glucose and ketone monitoring, flash glucose monitoring, and gliptins.
Diabetes structured education
Free national digital services:
You can find promotional material on the FutureNHS page here.
To find local structured education services, type 'education' into the Services search bar below.
NCL services:
Camden:
Islington and Haringey:
Coding attendance at structured education
The National Diabetes Audit measures patient attendance for structured education. Despite the offer for type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients in NCL, the percentage of patients recorded as having attended structured education is very low. This is likely due to the variability of coding and recording this information within patients' EMIS records. It is therefore important that practices have processes in place to ensure coding of patient structured education attendance. The correct codes are listed within each service page.
Ambulatory Acute Foot Service (AAFS): Royal Free Hospital
Healthcare professionals can refer directly to the acute foot service for any acute diabetic foot condition. The service includes clinical guidance via the service hotline, which is open seven days a week. The team are able to offer urgent face-to-face, telephone or video reviews for patients following their referral. See the service page for further details.
NCL Low-Calorie Diet Programme for type 2 diabetes
The low-calorie diet programme is being run as a pilot programme across NCL, with 500 places for individual patients to take part in a year-long programme that includes an evidence-based intervention of 12-week total diet replacement. The weight loss achieved has enabled better control and even remission of type 2 diabetes. See the service page for further details.
HbA1c conversion (IFCC/DCCT)
NHS England: London Diabetes Clinical Network (LDCN)
The LDCN provides clinical leadership and subject matter expertise, supporting local healthcare systems to improve diabetes care and health outcomes by connecting commissioners, healthcare providers, professionals, those living with diabetes and the public to share best practice and ideas. This network also plays a strategic role in reducing care variations and driving improvement across London, whilst measuring quality and outcomes related to diabetes.
