Diabetes

We will give you the right help and support to help you manage your diabetes. This is via online and face-to-face learning sessions. You will get to meet others with diabetes and learn more about how to manage your condition. These include:

• DAFNE – for people with Type 1 diabetes.
• DESMOND – for people with type 2 diabetes.

We run clinics to help people who have other problems linked to their diabetes. This includes people who have also got problems with their kidneys. We also see people with foot problems. Both of these link to diabetes.

This is where we will see you to monitor your condition and ask how you are doing. We also see those planning a pregnancy and those who are pregnant. We may see you in person or talk to you over the telephone or video. We will let you know about any research or trials you can get involved with if you want to.

We run a diabetes service for young people from 0-19 years old. We work with children, young people and their families and carers. We also involve other key people in their lives like teachers and social workers. We want everyone involved in a child’s life to know about their diabetes and how to manage it. You can call the number below to talk to our team.

• Children’s diabetes nurses (South Tyneside and Sunderland): 0191 569 9794

These nurses are experts in the care and treatment of people with diabetes. They run most of the outpatient clinics across our sites. They also work with ward teams to see patients who are in hospital. These nurses will also support you if you use an insulin pump to manage your diabetes. You can contact our specialist diabetic nurses on the numbers below: 

• South Tyneside – 0191 202 2161
• Sunderland – 0191 569 9606
• Grindon Lane – 0191 525 2390

In this service, we screen the eyes of patients who have diabetes. We do this every year. This is to check that the eyes are ok as diabetes can cause damage. If we find any cause for concern, we will arrange to see you in our specialist eye hospital. When you come for the screening test you will not be able to drive to and from your appointment. This is because of the eye drops we use for the screening. Use the number below to talk to our team.

• Diabetic screening (Eye and Foot): 0191 419 2430.

If you have diabetes, we will also check your feet regularly. This is because diabetes can cause problems in the feet. When you come for a foot check, we may also do other tests. This includes taking your blood pressure, a wee sample and your weight (BM). This is to help us see how you are doing and whether you need to make any lifestyle changes. Use the number below to talk to our team.

• Diabetic screening (Eye and Foot): 0191 419 2430.

If you need to stay in hospital, you will be on the following wards:

• Ward 7 (South Tyneside) – 0191 404 1007
• Ward D40 (Sunderland) - 0191 569 9740
• Ward E53 (Sunderland) – 0191 569 9753

We run outpatient clinics from lots of Trust locations (click here). You can find the details of these locations below and how to get here. Your appointment letter will let you know which location to go to.

Our diabetic screening services run from The Galleries Health Centre in Washington.

• Treating your diabetes with insulin in hospital – click here
• Foot care for patients at high risk – click here
• Charcot foot – click here

Diabetes UK