Bedfordshire Integrated Community Diabetes Service (ICDS)

About us

Our aim is to bring specialist diabetes services to the heart of the community with a team of Diabetes Specialist Nurses (DSN’s) and Diabetes Specialist Dietitians (DSD’S) based at the hospitals but working in locality areas.

The ICDS provides care to those living with mainly type 2 diabetes through assessment, treatment planning, and education.

The service also delivers support and training for primary health care professionals, helping them develop their skills to ensure that everyone with diabetes receives high quality care so that health outcomes for people with diabetes improve.

The Bedfordshire ICDS community diabetes team is led by a diabetes nurse consultant and includes Diabetes Specialist Nurses, Dietitians and Podiatrists and is supported by our team administrators.

Specialist Community Diabetes Clinics are held in the following locations

North Beds

  • Bedford
  • Ampthill
  • Shefford
  • Sandy
  • Wootton

South Beds

  • Dunstable Hub
  • Toddington
  • Leighton Buzzard

For People living with Type 2 Diabetes

Following referral from their GP, we offer:

  • Individual or joint appointments with a diabetes specialist nurse and/or dietitian to help patients improve their blood glucose control.
  • Telephone, e-mail and face-to-face follow up appointments.
  • Group education sessions to help learn more about how to manage Type 2 diabetes in a friendly supportive group setting, topics have included sessions about carbohydrate awareness and the benefits of following a lower carbohydrate diet
  • Support for those who need to start or improve their ability to self-manage insulin or other injectable therapy.
  • Support for those who need to learn to monitor their blood glucose.
  • Online video information about Type 2 diabetes for patients living with either Autism &/or a learning disability link to the video playlist here

We offer the following Diabetes Education courses which are held at locations across Bedfordshire and all of which are free to attend

  • DESMOND (Diabetes Education and Self-Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed) patient information day for those have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in the past year
  • ADAM (Advanced Diabetes Awareness and Management) information day for those who have lived with Type 2 diabetes for more than one year
  • AIDA (Advice for Insulin Management and Safety) for those whose Type 2 diabetes is managed with a mixed insulin regimen
  • SOUTH ASIAN group education, a half day in-person session all about Type 2 diabetes supported by a Punjabi interpreter.
  • Carbohydrate Awareness or Insulin workshops held at a GP practice (arranged via the practice)
  • ESTA (Eat Smart Think Active) is a community based weight management program, to encourage patients with Type 2 Diabetes to make lifestyle changes that bring about weight loss which ultimately improves their long term prognosis and management of their diabetes.

For Healthcare Professionals we offer

  • Regular and dedicated Diabetes Specialist Nurse support in GP diabetes clinics with the practice nurse, clinical pharmacist or GP
  • Remote advice and guidance to primary care colleagues
  • Study days/sessions or webinars for Health Care Professional tailored to the learning needs of primary care staff, district nurses or care home staff. Recent topics have included the low carbohydrate approach and newer injectable therapies
  • The opportunity to shadow either a DESMOND day or our QISMET accredited ADAM patient education day

The ICDS Team, Referral and Contacts

Nurse Consultant and Team Lead Julia Pledger

How to be referred

Referrals to the Integrated Community Diabetes Service (ICDS) can be made by:

  • General Practitioners and Practice Nurses
  • Community and Specialist Nurses
  • Diabetes Consultants at Bedfordshire Hospitals
  • Other health care professionals including community Dietitians, Physiotherapists or Occupational Therapists

Self-referrals for the patient education DESMOND or ADAM courses are accepted from patients registered with a Bedfordshire GP surgery with the exception of patients who are registered with a Luton based GP. If your GP is based in Luton, please contact the Luton ICDS service on 0333 405 3128 for details of DESMOND courses held in your local area.

To learn more about the symptoms and treatment for people living with Type 2 diabetes link to Diabetes UK.

Our offices

The ICDS service operates Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm (except bank holidays).

Contacts

ICDS Team based at Bedford Hospital

  • Telephone: 01234 792013 (answer phone)
  • e-mail: ICDS@bedfordhospital.nhs.uk
  • Address: ICDS, 4th Floor Cauldwell, Bedford Hospital South Wing, Bedford MK42 9DJ

ICDS Team based at Luton &Dunstable Hospital

  • Telephone: 01582 718431 (answer phone)
  • email: ICDS.southbeds@ldh.nhs.net
  • Address: ICDS, The Diabetes Centre, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Road, Luton, LU4 0DZ

Out of Hours Support

We do not provide an out of hours or weekend service. If you need assistance at these times, we advise you to either call your GP or 111 if you have a health concern.