Pioneering specialist diabetes service for children launched

Mitchell Rix, Dr Marlon Radcliffe and Robyn Mallett at the launch of the diabetes service initiative.

A new initiative launched today at North Lakes Health Precinct will be a welcome relief for families dealing with Type 1 diabetes.

North Lakes Diabetes Service and Redcliffe Hospital Paediatric Ward have teamed up to give families the option to access services at North Lakes Health Precinct within the first day of diagnosis.

This new collaboration will see the number of days a child is admitted to Redcliffe Hospital with Type 1 diabetes significantly reduced.

Speaking today at the launch, Clinical Diabetes Nurse Practitioner Robyn Mallett said families now had an opportunity to receive specialised care from the multidisciplinary diabetes team at the North Lakes Health Precinct instead of staying in hospital.

“Children newly diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus could stay in hospital for up to seven days,” Ms Mallett said.

“This option allows the child to stay with their family in the comfort of their own home but receive the same high level of care from the Diabetes Team at North Lakes, as they would have received if they had been admitted to the Redcliffe Children’s Ward.

“We want to empower families when dealing with a new diagnosis not just by treating the symptoms but through ongoing care, support, education and collaboration about the condition,” she said.

Metro North Hospital and Health Service Acting Chief Executive Terry Mehan congratulated everyone involved in the project at today’s launch.

“This partnership is a great example of collaboration within the HHS to provide safe and efficient services to make patients’ lives a little easier,” Mr Mehan said.