Endocrine Abstracts

Aims and objectives: Poor attendance in clinics remains a concern shared by diabetes services nationally and internationally. We surveyed our children’s diabetes service users to identify local reasons for non-attendance. We used the opportunity to seek feedback from service users about service design.

Study population group: The group included parents/carers of children and young people who use children’s diabetes service delivered by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust. The survey was also offered to children and young people over 12 years age.

Method: Survey questions followed multiple choice format with opportunity to add free text comments. The survey was offered online as well as in paper form. It was advertised on social media, clinics and via post. The results of both the online and paper version were collated and analysed.

Results: Total 51 returns were received. There was similar representation from all age groups. Girls/women constituted 49% of respondents. Commonest quoted reason for clinic non-attendance was not receiving letter or text reminder (29%) and receiving more than one letter with different dates (18%). For structured education, 32% would like annual and 23% would like twice yearly workshops. The preferred venue for workshops was hospital (34%) and health centre (25%). Most (62%) would prefer letter, text message, phone as mode of contact. Only 13% favoured email and 10% favoured social media. There were several comments to improve psychology provision. The service users expressed positive free-text comments about the service provided.

Conclusion: Issues with appointment letters or text message reminders were quoted as most common reason for non-attendance. This issue is shared with other departments in the hospital and is being looked at using trust-wide Listening into Action approach. Our current clinic structure and frequency, time and venue of educational sessions suits most of the respondents. Patients find seeing the whole team in one clinic and HbA1c measurement helpful. Contrary to our expectations, in information technology and social media age, respondents did not express much appetite to be contacted via email or social media. Majority preferred to receive letter or a text message reminder about clinic appointment.