The diabetes team at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust used Hypo Awareness Week to raise the profile of hypoglycaemia in a number of ways.

The team already provide training for registered nurses in diabetes emergencies and have seen an improvement in hypoglycaemia management in ward areas. They used Hypo Awareness Week as an opportunity to provide toolbox style training to healthcare assistants. It highlighted a need for further diabetes training for healthcare assistants and they are now planning to extend the toolbox style approach.

They conducted a small audit of hypoboxes. This helped identify that some areas are not adequately restocking their boxes, an issue they said needs to be addressed.

The team were able to present at the Trust’s ‘Grand Round’ training for medical and nursing staff, an interactive forum titled ‘How Low Can You Go?’ that provided a serious look at systematic effects of hypoglycaemia. There was a light-hearted delivery using a medical student as a ‘lab rat’. In addition local outcome data was shared demonstrating prevalence and practice in terms of response to and management of hypoglycaemia.

The diabetes specialist midwife had a hypo awareness stand within the maternity department, allowing people to visit the unit to ask questions and see further information.

In addition they used the Stockport Diabetes Facebook page to explore hypoglycaemia all week. The page has 466 followers and therefore helped promote hypoglycaemia awareness among those people living with diabetes.