Diabetes and endocrinology

Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. This is because your pancreas does not produce any insulin, or not enough, to help glucose enter your body’s cells – or the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance).

The East and North Herts Diabetes service is a nationally renowned and award-winning service. We are a multidisciplinary team of 12 consultants, 4 registrars, 10 nurses and 2 research nurses, 2 dieticians, 5 podiatrists, 1 foot technician and 2 diabetes educators. We also run a telehealth service for young adults and for patients with diabetic kidney disease.

Inpatient diabetes care

We are the first diabetes team in England to offer a 7-day inpatient diabetes specialist nurse and consultant led service. We liaise with specialty teams and offer advice if required. The diabetes (and endocrinology) wards are 10b North and 10b South.

Outpatient clinics

The process at outpatient clinics varies slightly from site to site. However, you can expect

• A diabetes clinic appointment to last for 25 minutes 
• Please book in to reception
• A nurse will measure your height, weight and calculate your body mass index (BMI) and measure your blood pressure.
• The nurse will ask you when your last foot check and eye tests were carried out.
• Please bring your meter and your blood glucose diary. If compatible your meter will be uploaded to DIASEND – this is software that allows you to see graphs of your blood sugars and enables you to identify any patterns.
• Please bring an up to date list of your medications
• You should be given a questionnaire to complete to regarding the topics you wish to discuss during your consultation
• You will also be given a questionnaire to be filled out about hypoglycaemia (low blood sugars)
• A foot technician will check your feet if these have not been checked within 12 months. 

Diabetes clinic types

• Diabetes nurse led clinics
• Joint renal clinic
• Joint eye clinic
• MDT foot clinic
• Antenatal clinic
• Preconception clinic
• Transition adolescent diabetes clinic
• Young adult clinic
• Pump clinic
• Monogenetic diabetes service
• Structured diabetes education – IDAC

How can I get referred?

Referrals are through a triage process – single point of access (SPOC). Referrals are reviewed and patients booked to the appropriate service. 

Patients who have been an inpatient at Lister hospital can also be referred by the attending team through a referral form (ex-ward referral form).

Sick day rule guidance

If you have diabetes and are unwell, please follow the usual sick day rule guidance. This includes information leaflets for type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

There is also Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for people living with diabetes on the Diabetes UK website.

Our patient line advice number is 01438 288301. Please do not leave messages about medical emergencies on this line.

If you are calling about an emergency, please contact 111 or 999 and seek urgent medical advice and care if required.

Endocrinology

Endocrinology is the branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the endocrine system and its specific secretions, called hormones. There are many types of hormones including but not limited to: thyroid hormones, adrenal hormones, sex hormones, growth hormones, hormones involved in salt and water or blood pressure regulation. You may be referred because you have clinical features of a suspected hormone disorder, or because you have had blood tests which are indicative of a hormone disorder.

The endocrine department offers an inpatient (based at Lister Hospital) and outpatient service (Lister, Hertford County and the new QE2 hospital).

We have 12 consultants based at these three hospitals. Each consultant offers general endocrinology services and some lead subspecialty clinics. 

These are the services offered:

• General endocrinology clinics 
• Management of blood lipids disorders 
• Metabolic bone disease 
• Adrenal disorders 
• Transitional adolescent endocrinology care 
• Joint antenatal clinics 
• Cancer-related endocrinology and inpatient support for Mount Vernon 
• Men’s health nurse (advice on testosterone therapy, erectile dysfunction, hypogonadism). 
• Outpatient endocrine testing is carried out at ambulatory care at the new QE2 and Lister hospital.
• Intravenous zoledronate injections for osteoporosis are carried out at ambulatory care at the new QE2 and Lister Hospital.

Sick Day Rules for patients living with adrenal insufficiency

If you have adrenal insufficiency and are unwell, please follow the usual sick day rule guidance which can be found on the on the Society for Endocrinology website.

There is also Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for people living with adrenal insufficiency and you can also download the latest version of the NHS emergency steroid card on the same webpage.

Dr Winocour
Julie Sayers: 01438 288309

Dr Darzy / Dr Narayanaswamy / Dr Dhere 
Liz Smith: 01438 288387

Dr Al-Sabbagh and Dr Ilesanmi
Maria Iglesias: 01438 288310

Dr Joharatnam / Dr Iacuaniello
Olivia Buse: 01438 288329

Dr Zalin and Dr Zac-Varghese
Erica Anderson: 01438 284482

Dr Yasin and Dr Filipas
Nichola Bloxham: 01438 284090

Dr Kaplan and Dr George
Jacqui Johnson: 01438 284828

Dr Troke and Dr Mohamed 
Susan Melton: 01438 285205