Diabetes Clinic

What does Frome Medical Practice offer? 

Frome Medical Practice has a dedicated team who help to support patients with Diabetes.

Regular Check Ups

Patients receive a full annual check. They will be invited to see a Health Care Assistant (HCA) first. At this appointment, the HCA will take bloods, blood pressure and perform foot checks. Patients will be contacted by a Practice Nurse, depending on if or what further treatment is needed.

If patients have more than one long term condition we provide a longer appointment so that, wherever possible, everything can be reviewed with one visit to the practice.

Diabetic Eye Screening

In addition to the annual check within the Practice, patients with diabetes will be invited to an annual Diabetic Eye Screening appointment. If you have Diabetes and are aged 12 or over you’ll receive a letter every year inviting you to this appointment. This programme is coordinated by Somerset Partnership NHS Trust – more information here. Appointments are generally held at Frome Community Hospital for this service.

Education Sessions and Support Group

The Practice offers free education sessions for anyone with Type 2 Diabetes or Prediabetes, those with an interest in Type 2 Diabetes or people who are a carer of someone with the condition. Dr Rob Taylor and Jo Fordham, from the Health Connections Team, share some simple diet principles to help patients manage Type 2 Diabetes. The aim of these principles is to lose weight, reverse Diabetes and reduce medication use. 

A regular Diabetes support group also runs at the Practice, giving people the opportunity to gain support from other people in a similar situation and share ideas on how to manage the condition, as well as discussing healthy food options and recipe ideas. 

You can see the dates for future education sessions and support groups in our Events section - all are very welcome. 

Prediabetes is when someone has a blood sugar level above the normal range but not high enough to be diagnosed as having Diabetes. If your blood sugar level is above the normal range then your risk of developing full blown Diabetes is increased. We encourage you to come along to the above education sessions if we find that you have Prediabetes. 

Other support available

My Diabetes My Way

Patients from Frome Medical Practice are encouraged to use the My Diabetes My Way interactice digital website, which aims to support people with Diabetes, as well as their family and friends. This free resource includes leaflets, videos, educational tools and games containing information about Diabetes. You can now also use this website to view your own up-to-date Diabetes clinic results, to help you manage your condition more effectively. More information here. 

Types of Diabetes

There are two different types of Diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes causes the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood to become too high. Daily injections of insulin help to keep blood glucose levels under control. Type 1 Diabetes isn’t linked with age or lifestyle. You can read more about Type 1 Diabetes here and here.

Type 2 Diabetes is a common condition that causes the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood to become too high. Patients may need to change their diet and take medication to manage the condition. Type 2 Diabetes is often link to being overweight or inactive or having a family history of Type 2 Diabetes. You can read more about Type 2 Diabetes here and here.

Local and National Support

Local and national information on Diabetes is available on the Health Connections Mendip website here. For information and support on preventing Diabetes and living with the condition visit the Diabetes UK website here.

Diabetic Eye Screening Information 

Information on the Diabetic Eye Screening programme is available here.