New Hawthorn service to help diabetes sufferers

New Hawthorn service to help diabetes sufferers

02 October, 2017

A new Integrated Diabetes Education and Assessment Service (IDEAS) site opens in Hawthorn on 4 October to address the chronic nature of type 2 diabetes and reduce avoidable hospitalisations.

Eastern Melbourne PHN (EMPHN) has funded Carrington Health and its partners Access Health and Community, EACH and Eastern Health to help more than 1,000 local people manage their diabetes better by operating services at three new sites in Melbourne’s east. New sites in East Ringwood and Doncaster East have also opened.

EMPHN CEO, Robin Whyte, said diabetes remains the number one cause of avoidable hospitalisations across our catchment.

"The economic health cost to the community for these bed days is over $90 million," Ms Whyte said.

“By providing more convenient access in the community we aim to improve the health and wellbeing of patients, prevent hospital admissions and reduce hospital waiting lists.

"The new service sites will address the chronic nature of type 2 diabetes by supporting people to handle the long-term management of their condition and its effects," she said.

Fiona Wallace, Project Manager, Carrington Health, is leading development at the new sites which will be open one day a week to bring diabetes specialists, clinicians and patients together as a team.

“The team’s focus is on supporting people with diabetes to improve their own health in a community setting, instead of a hospital, so people receive care closer to home with a team they know and trust,” she said.

“For the past eight years the IDEAS service has helped divert 30 percent of hospital diabetes outpatient appointments to a community setting, reducing demand on hospital clinics.”

The Integrated Diabetes Education and Assessment Service operates on Wednesdays from 378 Burwood Road, Hawthorn. To access the service, obtain a referral from your GP or for more information contact the service directly on 8841 3023.

The Australia Institute of Health Welfare (AIHW) estimates 1.2 million (6%) of Australian adults had diabetes in 2014–15. It is the leading cause of blindness in working age adults and:

  • is a leading cause of kidney failure
  • increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke by up to four times
  • is a major cause of limb amputations
  • affects mental health

The initiative is supported by funding from the Australian Government under the PHN Program.

For media inquiries: Claire James, EMPHN Marketing and Communications Manager claire.james@emphn.org.au 0425 887 397