Unistik News

Date published: 18 June 2008

Taking Care of Diabetes

For some years it has been a requirement that hospitals and clinics observe best practice in terms of needle safety when taking blood samples.  This ensures  that the cross infection with blood borne viruses that are debilitating and potentially life-threatening, such as HIV and hepatitis, is prevented.   Unistik 3 is in wide use within the clinical setting because it eliminates the risk of needle stick injury.  This means there is no potential for the transfer of contaminated blood from one person to another, be they a patient, healthcare professional or other hospital worker.

Since December 2006, it has been a requirement that similar needle safety be ensured within the residential care setting.  Up to 27 per cent* of residents in any care home have diabetes and therefore need to monitor their blood sugars from finger stick blood samples.   Unistik 3 offers an ideal solution to ensure both staff and residents are protected from the risk of needle stick injury during this process.

Because many people who work in care homes have little if any medical knowledge, it can be difficult for them to know how best to look after residents with diabetes. Whilst the more clinical aspects of their care are handled by the visiting GP or nurse, the day to day issues of diet and nutrition, and supervision of residents’ insulin injections and blood sampling can present a challenge to care home staff.  Nevertheless there is very little training and education available which meets their needs.

Owen Mumford has therefore teamed up with a diabetes specialist nurse and a nutritionist to develop the Diabetes Care Programme, a training module tailored specifically for care home staff.  Provided free of charge by a national team of nurse educators, it provides very practical information and guidance.  At the end of the programme, staff will have gained more confidence to deliver improved diabetes care for their residents.

*Current and Future Research on Diabetes.  A Review for the Department of Health and the Medical Research Council.  October 2002.

Lloydspharmacy using Unistik 3
Lloydspharmacy was the first retail pharmacy group to introduce a free diabetes testing service to its customers.  Since rolling out the service in all of its 1600 stores throughout the UK during 2003, it has completed over 1.1 million screenings. 
Approximately 55,000 of people screened for diabetes have been referred to their GPs for further investigation and treatment. Many of these were subsequently diagnosed with Type II diabetes and able to receive the appropriate lifestyle advice and/or treatment.  Every test performed involved taking a blood sample from the finger using a Unistik needle-safe disposable lancet.
To find out more about the Lloydspharmacy Diabetes Screening Service and to find your nearest participating pharmacy visit www.lloydspharmacy.co.uk
Lloydspharmacy was winner in both 2006 and 2007 of the OTC (over the counter) ‘Retailer of the Year’ award sponsored by the industry journal OTC Bulletin.  A recent addition to its broad range of over the counter health monitoring products is a self-test kit, which allows purchasers to monitor their cholesterol levels at home and take greater care of their health.  The ‘Cholesterol Monitoring Kit’ includes Unistik 3 lancets, on the basis that these provide the simplest and safest means by which people can obtain the blood sample from their own finger.