3 October 2019

Trust promotes Hypo Awareness Week

The Diabetes teams across the Trust have been raising awareness about, and aiming to reduce, episodes of hypoglycaemia, a short-term complication of diabetes, as part of Hypo Awareness Week.

Diabetes team at Eastbourne DGH promote Hypo Awareness Week

Diabetes team at Eastbourne DGH promote Hypo Awareness Week

Diabetes team at Conquest Hospital promote Hypo Awareness Week

Diabetes team at Conquest Hospital promote Hypo Awareness Week

Hypoglycaemia, also known as a hypo, takes place when the blood glucose levels of people with diabetes drops too low. The person can feel shaky, unwell and, in extreme cases, can slip into a coma.

Donna Caranto, Diabetes Nurse Educator said: “The Diabetes Teams are working hard to reduce incidence of hypos through education and through events such as the Hypo Awareness Week. We want our patients to be safe and to have a positive experience of their care, and we will continue to work together in finding ways to improve the patient experience whilst in hospital.”

Erwin Castro, Diabetes Nurse Consultant: “We are working very hard to provide training and resources to staff in the prevention, recognition and management of this acute diabetes complication. We want to ensure that our patients with diabetes receive safe and excellent care.” 

According to results from the 2017 National Diabetes Inpatient Audit, around one in six hospitals beds are occupied by a person with diabetes.

Dr Gerry Rayman, the national clinical lead for the audit, has said that since 2010 there has been a 30 per cent reduction in severe hypoglycaemia in hospitals, with Hypo Awareness Week helping to raise awareness annually since 2012. However, almost one in five inpatients with diabetes experiences hypoglycaemia during their hospital stay.

The annual campaign aims to raise awareness of hypoglycaemia in the UK by educating healthcare professionals about the short-term complications of diabetes. As part of a week-long series of activities, the Trust is staging training events to raise awareness of the condition. Resources, including guidelines, leaflets and educational slides, are being used to help spread the word. Along with daily ward rounds, a hypo quiz, hypo simulation and other activities.