Diabetes specialist nurses
Wednesday, 05 Mar 2008 10:30
Diabetes specialist nurses could save NHS millions, report says
Health campaigners have called for greater investment in specialist diabetes nurses after a report claimed they could save the NHS £100 million.
Researchers at the University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) NHS trust said their use of diabetes specialist nurses (DSNs) saved the hospital £111,155 in one year alone.
They studied a 12-month trial of DSNs working in the emergency medical unit on weekdays to proactively identify people with diabetes.
Forty-two per cent (47) of the 111 diabetics identified were discharged within 24 hours.
As the average hospital stay for a person with diabetes is 11 days and the daily bed-stay costs £215, the researchers say the 47 fewer admissions equates to a saving of £111,155 for the hospital in one year.
"People with diabetes are admitted to hospital twice as often and stay twice as long as those without diabetes, occupying one in ten hospital beds," commented Helen Atkins, DSN at the UHL NHS trust.
"Our research shows how proactive DSN intervention can facilitate more appropriate care and help save money."
She added: "After the positive results of the evaluation we have now introduced the same service in A&E [accident and emergency] and other medical admissions units within UHL trust.
"In addition, our trial only used a DSN from Monday to Friday. Extending the service to weekends could generate even more savings."
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