Page 7 - Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Connect Summer 2019

Putting young people in the driving seat In Leeds, this concept has been embraced across clinical specialities and there is a clear
focus on giving children and young people ‘tools for life’ so they can achieve their goals.
AI tools help young patients self-manage
Preparing young people for
adulthood
In addition to technology and innovation, the hospital delivers a dedicated programme of work which focuses on all aspects of the transition from children’s to adult’s services. It is well documented nationally that this is a critical time in the lives
of young people with long-term health conditions. Without the right support there is a significant risk that these patients could stop attending regular check-ups, potentially missing out on care which could save their lives.
The Model of Care for Transition programme at Leeds Children’s Hospital has been recognised nationally as a best practice approach to supporting young people moving to adult services. We recently secured a £1.3m grant from the Burdett Trust for Nursing to develop regional teams across the country to share best practice and improve transition across the NHS. Our team will work with NHS Improvement to establish and share a national model of care that can be adapted and localised by NHS hospitals providing paediatric care.
Lynn and Laura Dunion with Dr Fiona Campbell
Our diabetes team is a leading light in the field
of self-management. On page 8 you can read about the fantastic work going on with Freestyle
Libre flash glucose monitoring and our innovative work with Digibete.
The team was also one of the first in Europe to introduce the Medtronic Minimed 670G insulin system. This unique product uses artificial intelligence to monitor glucose levels in patients with Type 1 Diabetes, automatically dosing the patient with insulin as required.
Laura Dunion aged 18 was one of the first three patients to get the new automated insulin delivery system last November. In a recent interview with BBC Breakfast she said, “I’ve always lived my life to the fullest...but with this pump I feel like I can soar through my life really”.
Laura was diagnosed with diabetes aged eight and had to constantly monitor her blood sugar levels and inject or pump insulin up to six-times-a-day. Now she has an insulin pump attached to a tube in her stomach and a sensor placed on her skin, which has a Bluetooth transmitter and automatically detects when insulin is needed and delivers it.
Laura can monitor her blood sugar levels at the touch of a button rather than having to perform finger prick blood tests. Laura said: “This is the best technology I’ve had since I have been diagnosed. It means less blood sugar checks and I don’t have to spend so much time checking and worrying about it. I think this will make young people less stressed about their Type 1 Diabetes and focus more on what they are doing in life.”
Photo credit: Yorkshire Evening Post
Chief Medical Officer Dr Yvette Oade (centre) with some of the team who will be leading the transition project.
CONNECT MAGAZINE - SUMMER 2019 7