A free program is making it easier for people in Moree to access specialist diabetes care, right in their own community.
The HealthWISE Diabetes Shared Care program brings together a large team of health professionals such as diabetes educators, podiatrists, dietitians and exercise physiologists, to provide co-ordinated care, tailored to individual needs.
Program care manager and nurse Christine Connor said diabetes can affect multiple organs.
“The program is a multi-disciplinary team approach – and it’s holistic,” she said.
“Diabetes affects so many organs. People don’t realise. We all know that it affects our eyes, we know it affects our feet . . . but what we tend to not realise, is how it can affect the heart and pancreas, and liver and kidneys.”
For more information or to register, go to Allied and Primary Health Diabetes Shared Care.
Each client meets with a team of health professionals to discuss how to manage their condition in a supportive and collaborative environment.
This might include healthy eating and exercise plans, learning more about monitoring technology like continuous glucose monitors and flagging any health concerns related to diabetes.
“We’re working in a full circle, really, with what’s best for our clients,” Christine said.
Having access to so many health professionals in one place so close to home has made a difference for many, clients say.
“This is such a great service to be offered here in Moree. Not having to travel outside the area to receive the service is excellent,” one client said.
For Christine, one of the most rewarding aspects of the program is seeing how it connects people with a wide range of services they might not have reached without the program’s coordinated, local approach.
Eliminating the cost of travel and specialist appointments removes barriers for many.
“People are actually getting services that have been long overdue,” Christine said.
“And it’s just given people the opportunity to be more aware about what’s going on with their own health.”
A core part of the program is education – helping clients understand how diabetes affects their body and empowering them to make informed choices about their care.
“This is an amazing service,” another client said.
“The ladies have explained so much about my diabetes, making it easy to understand.”
The Diabetes Shared Care program is available for people living in the Moree and Narrabri Local Government Areas who have diabetes, including Type 1, Type 2 and Latent Onset Diabetes in Adults.
To take part in the program, speak to your general practitioner about your eligibility and ask for a referral.
The program is supported through funding from the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network.
HealthWISE can help people living in Moree Narrabri manage diabetes. The Diabetes Shared Care program is designed to suit individual needs and help co-ordinate care.
The HealthWISE care manager will work with other health professionals to help follow GP Management Plan and Diabetes Care Plan.
For more information or to register, go to Allied and Primary Health Diabetes Shared Care.
