Young Person’s Information – What’s the difference between the Paediatric and the Adult Diabetes Service

What’s the difference between the Paediatric Diabetes Service and the Adult Diabetes Service?

There are some differences between the Paediatric
Diabetes Service and the Adult Diabetes Service. However,
both services have the same ultimate goal of helping you
to manage diabetes as best you can.

Below is an outline of the main differences you may come
across and some helpful hints and key questions to ask.

Sometimes change can be a bit daunting but hopefully
these tips can help make your transition to the Adult
Service an easier experience. This can be an exciting stage
of your life as you become an adult and take charge of
your health.

Comparisons between Paediatric and Adult Services

Paediatric Service

Adult Service

Hints and Tips

Independence and self-management

Child health services are family focused.

When you transfer to an adult service the focus is much more on you.

Be confident and honest. Ask questions. Your team will listen non-judgementally and make sure you are heard. Practise being seen on your own for some/ all of your clinic appointment.

Paediatric Service

Adult Service

Hints and Tips

Independence and self-management continued…

Questions can be directed at you and/or your parents/carers. Your parent/carer may talk on your behalf.	Questions are directed at you and you will be asked to explain what is going well and not so well with your diabetes.	Practise taking responsibility for discussions with your diabetes team, but keep your parents/ carers informed. If you don’t know something tell your team, they won’t judge – they want to help! It’s their job
Your parents/carers may often book your appointments on your behalf.	You book your own appointments and you are in charge of re-arranging an appointment if you can’t make it. You may travel to appointments on your own.	Practise booking your appointments with the children’s clinic receptionist. Keep a diary so that you remember appointments. Know who your clinicians are and have contact information easily to hand.

Paediatric Service

Adult Service

Hints and Tips

Independence and self-management continued…

Your parents may still ensure you have adequate supplies of the equipment and medicine you need to look after your diabetes.

You will need to know what equipment and medicine you need and know how to order and obtain more supplies.

Your parents and/ or diabetes team will help you with this information – ask if you are unsure. Have contact information easily to hand of all relevant services e.g. • GP and pharmacy for repeat prescriptions. • Telephone helpline for pump. • Practise! Ask your GP/ pharmacy for more supplies; and it could also be helpful to request prescriptions in plenty of time so you don’t run out of stuff, especially insulin.

Paediatric Service

Adult Service

Hints and Tips

Information

Doctors and nurses give information and use language that you can understand. If you don’t understand you can always ask your parents.	Adult services should also use language that you understand.	Don’t be embarrassed about not understanding. Ask your doctor or nurse to explain words that you don’t understand. It’s part of their job to keep you informed.
Members of the paediatric team will liaise and share information with your parents/carers, as well as with you.	Members of the adult team can only liaise and share information with you directly. You must consent if you wish for information to be shared with carers, family or friends.	As an adult, it would be up to you to share information as and when you wish. Your team will leave it for you to make this decision. Please discuss any worries or questions with a clinician at any point.

Paediatric Service

Adult Service

Hints and Tips

Environment

The team and the children’s clinic are probably very familiar to you. You will mainly have other children and young people around you in clinic.	The adult team and the clinic will be unfamiliar at first and you may not know where to go. You will quickly get to know your new team and will learn your way around. You may notice there are a lot of older people around you in clinic.	During the transition pathway you will meet your new doctors and nurses. You may also have the opportunity to visit the adult clinic beforehand; it may ease any worry if you already know where to go for your first appointment.
Your current paediatric team includes clinical psychologists who you can contact as and when you feel you would like their support – individually and/or as a family.	The adult team do not have any psychologists/ therapists as part of their team. Emotional wellbeing support is available from other separate services.	There are various services in Worcestershire and the rest of the country that provide emotional wellbeing support – too many to list here. Please ask a clinician, including your GP, for advice. Alternatively, see the Emotional Wellbeing Support Services information leaflet attached.

Points to keep in mind

• You can always have someone with you at your
  appointment or you can be seen on your own.
  It’s your choice.
• Take a list of questions with you so you don’t forget.
• Keep your BG monitor or diary up to date or download
  your pump regularly so you and your team can
  discuss patterns.
• Your views are important; make sure you use the
  appointment to express how you are feeling and to
  ask questions you may have. If you don’t ask, you
  won’t know!
• The Adult Service wants the best possible
  health outcomes for you, just the same as the
  Paediatric team.
• When you are in the Adult Service, your parents/
  carers may still have an important role in helping
  you to manage your diabetes when you are unable
  to, however the responsibility for your health care
  ultimately rests with you.

References:
Adapted from: The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne (2012). Adolescent Transition
Education Package.
NHS Scotland: Psychosocial interventions for improving adherence, self-management &
adjustment to physical health conditions. Children and young people.
National Institute for Clinical Excellence. Patient experience in adult NHS services: improving
the experience of care for people using adult NHS services. NICE clinical guideline 138, 2012

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