Medicine Balls...

Now in my world those can only be one thing or another. The red pill is a large leather ball which weighs the devil and is hurled around in PE lessons at school by some sadistic beast masters known as PE teachers (paedophiles in disguise I swear!) or the alternative blue pill means that Medicine Balls is a column in Private Eye magazine. I've seen much more of the latter lately.
Interestingly in the most recent issue of Private Eye (issue no. 1286) Medicine Balls focuses on diabetes. The column highlights the short fallings of diabetes management within the NHS. More precisely it highlights the post code lottery that is to be found in all aspects of diabetes care. The distinction between type one and two is a little blurred but is there none the less. However, there isn't a distinction between adult and paediatric care.
What the column does highlight is the lack of education amongst general nurses on a ward about diabetes. Now, I am fortunate to say that the nurses I work with are diligent in their duties. As the article highlights, there are some aspects of diabetes care that are beyond the capabilities of a general nurse. For example, a patient with an insulin pump would most likely be beyond their capabilities. The number of diabetes specialist nurses available to a hospital is rather limited and they can't be everywhere.
What is well known to the bunch of insulin armed lunatics known as the diabetic online community (DOC for short) is that good education helps to prevent further complications. Carb counting courses and a supportinve team to name but two of the essentials. Surprisingly some trusts do not provide these when the costs of running them are much cheaper than the costs of treating complications which are nasty and of many variety.
It's a bitter epitaph then that Medicine Balls leaves us with that points out should a small improvement be made in the way diabetes is managed could save enough to fund universal health care.
The article cites the Diabetes Inpatient Audit. (www.yhpo.org.uk/Diabetes_inpatient_audit)

http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=columnists&