From your healthcare team
What to expect when you have just been diagnosed
When you have just been diagnosed, your diabetes care team should:
- Give you a full medical examination.
- Work with you to make a programme of care which suits you and includes diabetes management goals — this may take the form of a record for you to keep.
- Arrange for you to talk with a diabetes specialist nurse (or practice nurse) who will explain what diabetes is and discuss your individual treatment and the equipment you will need to use.
- Arrange for you to talk with a state registered dietitian, who will want to know what you usually eat, and will give you advice on how to fit your usual diet in with your diabetes — a follow-up meeting should be arranged for more detailed advice.
- Tell you about your diabetes and the beneficial effects of a healthy diet, exercise and good diabetes control.
- Discuss the effects of diabetes on your job, driving, insurance, prescription charges, and if you are a driver, whether you need to inform the DVLA and your insurance company.
- Provide you with regular and appropriate information and education, on food and footcare for example.
- Give you information about Diabetes UK services and details of your local Diabetes UK voluntary group.