Specialist nurses 'vastly overworked' (From Harwich and Manningtree Standard)

Specialist nurses 'vastly overworked'

1:53pm Friday 20th February 2009

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CHILDREN’S nurses who specialise in diabetes are being vastly overworked, a charity has said.

Figures released by Diabetes UK show the paediatric diabetes specialist nurse in north east Essex looks after a total of 120 cases.

It is the ninth worst ration in the country.

According to Government guidance each nurse should only be responsible for 75 patients.

Gaye Picton, children’s commissioning manager for NHS North East Essex, said: “We became aware of these numbers after we carried out a review of the service in our area.

“Employing another specialist nurse would be our intention, but we have to wait for our plans to be agreed.

“At the moment that nurse is working as part of a team so the children are still getting a service, although it is not the optimum one.

“We are aware of the issues and for us children are a high priority – we want to ensure they get a good service.

“These nurses are very well trained, but our plan is to get more and we have put forward a business case for that.”

Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: “This situation needs to be addressed urgently.

“Specialist nurses play a vital role in diabetes care and management.

“With many nurses having to cope with more than twice the recommended number of children, it is no wonder four out of five children have poor blood-glucose control.

“Services must improve now, otherwise our children risk developing serious, long term complications of diabetes such as losing their sight or needing kidney dialysis in later life.

“The Government promised six years ago to improve specialist care and ensure a healthy future for all children with diabetes, but standards remain patchy.

“It’s high time they delivered on their promise.”

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