Diabetes care
Friendly Pharmacy provides
Diabetes care
Diabetes is a chronic condition marked by high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. It is caused by the inability to produce insulin (a hormone made by the pancreas to control blood glucose levels) or to use insulin effectively, or both.
The main types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Diabetes is the fastest growing chronic disease in Australia with over and over 1.3 million Australians living with the disease, and an estimated cost to the Australian health system of over 3.1 per annum. A majority of this expenditure was on type 2 diabetes, a type of diabetes with an onset later in life which develops due to a combination of genetic risks and lifestyle factors including obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Type 2 diabetes poses a significant risk to the Australian population as many people with the condition are not aware they have it.
Friendly Pharmacy offers support for diabetic patients in a number of ways:
- Counselling and advice on diabetic medication
- Selection and demonstration of how to use home blood glucose monitors
- Provision of National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) products
- Diabetes testing and screening
- Demonstration of how to use medication delivery devices including insulin
Our pharmacies offer Diabetes Medscheck services which deliver patients an in-pharmacy, one-on-one service aimed at optimising the use of medicines for patients with diabetes and reducing potential adverse drug events. A Diabetes Medscheck usually takes about half an hour and an appointment is normally required.
Some Friendly Pharmacy stores have a credentialled diabetes educator. An appointment can be booked with a diabetes educator and from time to time they may run supermarket tours outlining which foods are suitable for diabetics. Consultations with diabetes educators may attract additional fees.
