Diabetes

Our paediatric diabetes team supports children as inpatients and outpatients. We run regular clinic appointments, and we can visit schools and families at home. When a child needs to stay in hospital, we care for them on the children’s wards at Heartlands (PAU and Ward 16) and Good Hope (CAU).

Our team includes six doctors, eleven specialist nurses, one nursing associate, four dietitians, two healthcare assistants, two psychologists, and an administrator. We support around 500 children in Birmingham and Solihull, and this number grows each year.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a life-long condition where the level of glucose in the blood is too high, this can happen when the body does not make any insulin, the body does not make enough insulin or if insulin does not work properly.

The two main type of diabetes are type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body cannot make insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin, or the insulin does not work well.

With any type of diabetes, glucose cannot move into the body cells properly, so it builds up in the blood. High glucose levels will require medical support from medical teams such as GPs or the specialist diabetes team at the hospital. This is followed up by regular reviews from the medical team as patients can experience high and low blood glucose levels, with both cases requiring additional support.

From diagnosis to ongoing support

When a child is diagnosed with diabetes, they may start in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) before moving to the ward. Our diabetes nurses meet the family as soon as possible. They provide the key equipment, explain our service, and give a teddy bear called ‘Rufus’ from the charity Breakthrough T1D. Breakthrough T1D also shares useful information for families and supports type 1 diabetes research.

Over the next few days, we support families and teach them how to manage diabetes safely. We cover medicines, what can change blood glucose levels, when and where to get help, and what to do in an emergency. We also teach school staff, hospital teams, new Trust staff, and family members such as grandparents and siblings.

If for any reason a child or young person with Diabetes needs to come into hospital in an emergency or for a planned stay they should bring all of their Diabetes related equipment and treatment with them, this includes their insulin, any pen devices, continuous glucose monitoring device and pump device.

Prioritising safety

Keeping blood glucose in a safe range is very important. Blood glucose that is too low can be dangerous. Blood glucose that is too high, especially with ketones, can cause DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). This is an emergency. We teach families how to stay in a safe range, and we suggest trusted websites and apps for everyday support.

New technology can help keep children safer. Some insulin pumps can link to a glucose sensor and adjust insulin on their own. They can give more insulin, less insulin, or pause insulin to help stop big highs and lows. This innovation has enhanced the safety and quality of life for many of the children we support.

Commitment to excellence and continuous improvement

We keep ourselves updated on the latest diabetes care advancements and collaborate closely with technology providers to ensure we offer the best possible information to families.

We take part in the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit. It is led by Dr Dhaara Iyer (Lead Consultant) and Nagina Kausar (Lead Nurse). We send our data on time and review our results every three months, so we can keep improving. We also support ‘Poverty Proofing’ work to help reduce health inequalities.

We follow NHS England’s Best Practice Tariff (BPT) for children’s diabetes care. This means we offer at least four clinic appointments each year with the full team, plus at least eight extra contacts. Families can also get clinical advice 24 hours a day. We provide structured education, diet support, and regular psychology reviews.

At University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB), we meet these standards and keep working to do even better. Our Good Hope Hospital team also sets a high benchmark, achieving the lowest HbA1c results nationally.

To keep our service strong, we link with other diabetes teams across the region and the UK. We also hold team meetings every three months, with a clear agenda and time to share ideas and improve what we do.

Meet the team

Good Hope Hospital

Dr Michael Plunkett, Consultant Paediatrician
Dr Fathima Haniffa, Consultant Paediatrician
Nagina Kausar, Lead Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Paitra Sparkes, Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Alison Peasgood, Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Lizzie Whitaker, Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Nicola King, Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Lindsey Sheridan, Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Anisha Khan, Paediatric Diabetes Healthcare Assistant

Heartlands and Solihull Hospital

Dr Swati Karandikar, Consultant Paediatrician
Dr Justina Rweyemamu, Consultant Paediatrician
Dr Dhaara Iyer, Consultant Paediatrician
Dr Aparna Akula, Consultant Paediatrician
Nagina Kausar, Lead Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Elaine Keegan, Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Rebecca Scrivens, Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Jessica Howard, Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Charlotte Nolan, Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Richard Parry, Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Lisa Kerins, Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Layla Akhter, Paediatric Diabetes Nurse Associate
Angela Barry, Paediatric Diabetes Healthcare Assistant
Robin Geevarghese, Diabetes Coordinator and administrator Heartlands, Solihull and Good Hope