Your healthcare team

Your healthcare team is made up of health professionals, as well as your family and friends. But the most important member of your healthcare team is you.

You are the one making daily decisions about your diabetes. So, the more you know, the easier it will be to manage your diabetes.

Watch our video about health professional support.  

Your healthcare team and how they can help

There are different types of health professionals you may wish to have in your healthcare team. See how they can help below.

Doctors and nurses in your diabetes healthcare team

• Your general practitioner (GP) is often the central team member in checking your diabetes and helping you to manage it. They can also refer you to other health professionals for diabetes management.
• An endocrinologist is a specialist diabetes doctor who can provide expert advice on how to manage your diabetes. If you have type 2 diabetes, you may not need an endocrinologist straight away.
• A practice nurse, community care nurse or diabetes nurse practitioner can help you manage your diabetes and related health problems.

Allied health professionals

• A diabetes educator works with you to help you understand and manage your diabetes. They can provide personal care and support that fits with your culture and lifestyle.
• A dietitian helps you to understand how food affects your blood glucose (sugar) levels. They will help you work out a healthy eating plan.
• An exercise physiologist or physiotherapist can help work out the best way for you to stay active.

Other health professionals

• An optometrist  can check for eye problems related to diabetes, do eye health checks and prescribe glasses.
• An ophthalmologist is a specialist eye doctor who can monitor your eyes for any changes and treat eye conditions.
• A podiatrist can help you keep your feet healthy.
• Let your dentist know you have diabetes. They can help you reduce your risk of tooth, gum, and mouth problems.
• A counsellor, psychologist, or social worker can help if you are feeling stressed or finding it hard to deal with your diabetes.
• The pharmacist at your local community pharmacy (an NDSS Access Point) can show you how to get the most from your medicines. They can also talk with you about the side effects of your medicines. Your doctor can ask for your pharmacist to do a medicines review with you.
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health workers and practitioners can help you manage your diabetes.
• An interpreter service can be used if you speak a language other than English.

Your healthcare team as you age

As you get older you may have more health issues to deal with. Read our booklet for help with healthcare as you age.

Your healthcare team during pregnancy

There are services to support you both when planning a pregnancy and during pregnancy. Read more about healthcare teams during pregnancy if you have:

• type 1 diabetes
• type 2 diabetes
• gestational diabetes.

Diabetes centres

Diabetes centres have many different types of health professionals in the same clinic. They can provide you with specialised advice and help you manage your diabetes. Talk to your doctor about a referral to a diabetes centre near you.

Diabetes centres can be found in:

• public hospitals
• some private hospitals
• some community health centres.

Regular diabetes health checks

Regular diabetes health checks are important to find any diabetes-related complications early. They can be done by your doctor and other health professionals.

Diabetes health checks include checking your:

• eyes
• heart
• kidneys
• feet
• teeth and gums.

Ask your doctor how often you should have health checks. 

Your healthcare team will also regularly check how you are managing and ask about your general health. They may suggest vaccinations (such as the yearly flu vaccine), depending on your age and general health. 

Getting support and information on diabetes

If you are feeling overwhelmed, your healthcare team can help. Different members of your team can take you through your diabetes management plan, step by step, and help you fit it into your life. Make an appointment right away.

You can also talk with:

• your family
• your friends
• other people who are living with diabetes.

Diabetes support groups are available. Remember that every person’s diabetes is different, and what suits someone else may not suit you.

There are also diabetes programs to help you understand and manage your diabetes. These include:

• face-to-face programs
• online programs
• e-learning modules.