Our Services A - Z - Diabetes & Endocrinology
About the service
Welcome to the Diabetes service.
Diabetes. Prevent it. Cure it. Beat it.
For those at risk, we seek prevention. For those who have it, we seek a cure.
Until there's a cure, we aim to beat it:
- We will provide timely specialist advice
- We will facilitate informed choice
- We will promote independence and self-care through education and empowerment.
The adult diabetes team currently delivers over 30 clinics per week across health care venues in the St Helens borough, offering both weekend and evening appointments to support patient choice.
The department consists of:
- Consultants who specialise in various aspects of diabetes and endocrinology
- Nurse Consultant
- Diabetes Specialist Nurses
- Diabetes Nurse Educator
- Diabetes Research Nurse
- Diabetes Dietitian
- Diabetes Admin Staff
Over the last decade, the team have strived (and succeeded) to establish a structured, care pathway-driven, high quality service with engagement and involvement of its users, supported by its proactive diabetes user group.
The diabetes unit has an active research programme and has received national recognition for a high quality diabetes service.
Location - Diabetes Centre, Orange Zone, St Helens Hospital.
Tel: 01744 646 200
- Option 1 - Appointments
- Option 2 - Specialist Nurse or Dietician
- Option 3 - GP seeking advice
- Option 4 - Ward seeking advice
- Option 5 - Emergency advice line
Need to speak to a Community Podiatrist (Chiropodist)?
- Advice: call 0151 290 2000
- New appointment: call 0151 430 1234
Please select from the options below
- Contact the Specialist Team
Address: Lesley Mitchell, Diabetes Specialist Team, Diabetes Centre, St Helens Hospital, Marshalls Cross Road, St Helens, WA9 3DA.
Phone: 01744-646-200
Option 1 - Appointments
Option 2 - Specialist Nurse or Dietician
Option 3 - GP/ Healthcare professional seeking advice or diabetesspecialistoutreachteam@sthk.nhs.uk
Option 4 - Ward seeking advice
Option 5 - Emergency advice line
Need to speak to a Community Podiatrist (Chiropodist)?
Advice: call 0151-290-2000New appointment: call 0151-430-1234
- Blood Sugar Testing
- Canagliflozin
- Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM or Freestyle Libre)
The Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Specialist Diabetes Team offers support for:
- CGM/Freestyle Libre starts
- CGM/Freestyle Libre reviews
- CGM/Freestyle Libre user training
Please see link below for patient LibreView account set up and device drivers installation:
- Dapagliflozin
- Diabetes and Breastfeeding
- Diabetes and Covid-19 Coronavirus
Follow national Public Health England advice:
- Useful advice can be found on Diabetes UK website:https://www.diabetes.org.uk
- More generally, you might find these NHS videos helpful while getting in touch with people is harder:
Prediabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 Teenagers
Type 2 Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes
BAME T2 Community Introduction
- Diabetes Education
Type 2 Live Well Programme was developed by our Specialist Diabetes Team at St Helens Hospital. Our QISMET accredited programme meets the national standards for diabetes education and can reduce the risk of diabetes related complications.
Type 2 Live Well Programme is a full day (6-hour session) in a small group with other people with type 2 diabetes. This is held on a Friday (weekly within the Diabetes Unit, St Helens Hospital). The session is run by a Diabetes Nurse Specialist or a Diabetes Dietitian Specialist. You will learn everything you need to know about how to manage your diabetes. The courses are informal, interactive, and will give you the skills and knowledge to manage your diabetes.Title - Type 2 Live Well Programme
Description - Type 2 Live Well Programme was developed by our Specialist Diabetes Team at St Helens Hospital. For online type 2 education - https://healthyliving.nhs.uk/- Friday at the Diabetes Unit, St Helens Hospital, Marshall's Cross Road, St Helens, WA9 3DA
Title - The ICE (Insulin Carbohydrate Education) course
Description - The course has been running since 2005. It's a course for people with type 1 diabetes, treated with basal bolus insulin, aimed at educating you about a flexible approach to managing your diabetes.- Diabetes Unit, St Helens Hospital, Marshall's Cross Road, St Helens WA9 3DA
- Diabetes and Footcare
Diabetes increases the risk of foot ulcers, foot wounds, foot infections and amputation.
Good Diabetes Footcare reduces these risks.
Every person with diabetes should have a foot check at least once per year.
People with nerve damage, poor circulation or other foot problems may need to be seen more often.
If you haven’t had a foot check, ask your GP or Practice nurse to sort one.
If you develop a foot ulcer or wound or infection, see your GP immediately for assessment. It’s URGENT or call:
Advice: call 0151-290-2000
New appointment: call 0151-430-1234
- Diabetes and Insulin Pump Therapy
The Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Specialist Diabetes Team offers support for:
- Insulin pump starts
- Insulin pump reviews
- Pump user training
We are also advising ALL pump users of the critical importance of having in-date supplies of:
- Insulin pens
- Blood sugar testing equipment
- Blood ketone testing equipment
- Diabetes and Pregnancy
Pregnancy is safe for most people with diabetes.
Diabetes increases risks for mother and baby.
Diabetes risks to mother and baby are less if:
You have excellent blood sugar control at CONCEPTION.
You’re taking FOLIC ACID 5 mg daily at CONCEPTION.
Don’t stop contraception or try to get pregnant until you’ve spoken to your GP or practice nurse.
If you’re pregnant, get referred urgently.
Some women temporarily develop diabetes during pregnancy (Gestational Diabetes). If this happens your midwife or consultant will explain what needs to be done.
- Diabetes Research
The St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Specialist Diabetes Team actively promotes and supports and undertakes clinical research to improve care for people with diabetes.
If you are attending the team and feel you would like to contribute to/take part in diabetes clinical research, please mention this to a member of the team at your visit.
- Dietician Support
The St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Specialist Diabetes Team includes specialist dieticians for diabetes-related eating and healthy lifestyle issues.
If you feel you need specialist diabetes dietician support managing your diabetes, please see your GP or Practice Nurse about referral to the team.
- Easy Read Diabetes General Information
The link below will take you to a short booklet we’ve produced to help people during the COVID-19 crisis.
It’s 1 page per topic and easy to read and easy to understand:
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Useful Stuff about Diabetes book .
- Emergency Advice Line
For people from St Helens & Halton
- Life-threatening emergency, call 999
- Urgent DIABETES advice, call 01744-646-200 (select Option 5)
Speak to a Diabetes Specialist
8am to 10pm weekdays
8am to 4pm weekends and Bank Holidays (these times may vary slightly over the Christmas Bank Holidays)
365 days a year
- Getting Non-Urgent Help
For patients with routine queries, ask your GP or Practice Nurse as they may be able to sort it or if not, they may seek specialist advice or refer you.
Are you visiting the Specialist Diabetes Team?
Phone 01744-646-200
Option 1 - Appointments
Option 2 - Specialist Nurse or Dietician
Option 3 - GP seeking advice
Option 4 - Ward seeking advice
Option 5 - Emergency advice line
Need to speak to a Community Podiatrist (Chiropodist)?
Advice: call 0151-290-2000
New appointment: call 0151-430-1234
- Gliclazide
- Gliptins
- Ketones
Urine ketone testing when taking ‘Gliflozins’
- Liraglutide
- Location
Please click link to view relevant map of Diabetes Centre at St Helens Hospital
- Meet the Team
- Meet our Young Adult Diabetes Team
- Metformin
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide)
Please click on the link below to open our Mounjaro (tirzepatide) patient booklet:
- Patient Information Leaflets
Title - Diabetes foot care glucose balance support telephone clinic
Description - Good blood glucose levels are important for patients with diabetes who have foot ulceration. Improving blood glucose levels can help foot ulcers to heal more quickly and can reduce problems with infection. Good blood glucose levels may help prevent worsening of foot ulcers and also help avoid amputations.Title - Dietary Management of Diabetic Gastroparesis
Description - Gastroparesis is a chronic (long-term) condition in which the stomach cannot empty itself in the normal way. It is a type of neuropathy (nerve damage) affecting the nerves which control the movement of food through the digestive tract. This can lead to a delay of food leaving the stomach.Title - Foot Care Card - Staff
Description - Foot Care Card - printableTitle - Saline Infusion Test
Description - Your doctor has recommended that you have a Saline Suppression Test.Title - Type 2 Live Well programme
Description - Being diagnosed with diabetes can be a worry. On average, a person with diabetes spends less than three hours a year with a healthcare professional, meaning they must manage their own diabetes almost 100% of the time. You may not know where to start or how to manage. Often people believe type 2 diabetes is not serious. But it is, you can stop many of the complications from happening by acting now. All people diagnosed with diabetes should be offered advice and support, to help them manage their diabetes and prevent long term complications. - Pioglitazone
- Problematic Hypoglycaemia
- Psychological Support
The St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Specialist Diabetes Team includes specialist psychologists for diabetes-related psychological issues.
If you feel you need psychological support managing your diabetes, please see your GP or Practice Nurse about referral to the team.
- Resources for Professionals
Useful Links and Documents
Documents
- Semaglutide
- Type 2 Insulin OHA Combo Adjustment
- Understanding Blood Sugar Readings
Not everyone with diabetes needs to check their blood sugars. If in doubt, ask your GP or Nurse.
If you check, you should have your personal targets. The most common targets are:
- Before Breakfast: 5-7
- Before Lunch: 4-7
- Before Tea: 4-7
- Before Bed: 6-10
How often you check depends on what you’re doing and how stable your sugars run. If you drive, you must follow DVLA guidance about testing (https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-driving) or https://www.diabetes.org.uk)
Blood sugar readings always vary. No-one gets all their readings inside these targets!
If most of your readings are out of range, ask your GP or Practice Nurse for advice.
Click here to view Interpreting Blood Sugar Tests and Adjusting Insulin guide
Page last updated on 30th January 2025
