The ESHT Diabetes Teams are staging a five day awareness event between May 17 and 23, promoting the message of insulin safety as part of a national campaign to help reduce incidents of insulin errors, during Insulin Safety Week.
Our Diabetes Teams will be staging a series of events across the Trust to ensure vital information about insulin safety is communicated to staff in a bid to reduce incidents of insulin errors. This year, they will be doing various activities that are COVID-safe. They are launching the Safe Use of Insulin virtual training package for health care professionals and will also present in the ‘Grand Rounds’ (an educational meeting with doctors and other clinicians) with a focus on the 6 R’s – Right patient, Right insulin, Right time, Right dose, Right route, Right device. They will also be visiting wards to talk about the importance of the 6 R’s of insulin safety.
Dr Shakeel Ahmad, ESHT Consultant Diabetologist, said: “Because of the surge of new insulin products and biosimilar insulins, patients are more vulnerable than ever before to insulin-related errors. It is everybody’s responsibility to familiarise themselves with commonly used insulin in the Trust and ensure patient safety.”
Hannah Syed, Diabetes lead pharmacist said: “Insulin is one of the most high-risk medications worldwide. We have around 30 different insulin preparations; many have similar names but differ in action. It is important that healthcare professionals who handle, prescribe or administer insulin know how to do so safely.”
Rhea Dela Cruz, Diabetes Inpatient Specialist Nurse said: “Insulin treatment improves quality of life in many people with diabetes. However, insulin management and prescribing errors are common and can lead to patient harm. Insulin safety week aims to raise awareness amongst healthcare professionals and raising profile of insulin as a high risk medicine. It also aims to prevent errors, ensuring the right patient has the right insulin at the right time, with the right dose, right route and right device.”
Following last year’s Insulin Safety Week (ISW) campaign, the ESHT Diabetes received runner-up for the National ISW Excellence Award.
The team have also produced a video to highlight insulin safety: