Diabetes is a serious condition where you have too much glucose in your system. Your pancreas should produce a hormone called insulin which helps get the right amount of glucose into your cells. But for people with diabetes, the pancreas does not do this correctly.
Some of our patients suffer from diabetes as a result of a heart or lung disease, and others have heart and lung conditions because of their diabetes. To help support these patients when they stay with us, we have clinical nurse specialists at both our hospitals.
Clinical nurse specialist
Valerie Lapworth
Valerie has been a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) in diabetes at Harefield Hospital since 2010.
In her role, Valerie supports patients with diabetes and gives clinical expertise to them. She also helps to educate other healthcare professionals about how to treat and support diabetic patients.
Valerie works closely with each patient's clinical team to make sure they get the right care. If she needs to, Valerie can adjust and prescribe medications to patients. She also works to link together other primary and secondary care providers and cardiac rehabilitation.
She is a constant presence to patients at Harefield Hospital; on hand to answer any questions and calm any fears. There are also audit, data collection and protocol development elements to her role.
Get in touch
Valerie is available Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm
Email: v.lapworth@rbht.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01895 82 37 37 ext. 5186
Bleep: 62890
Find out more
Diabetes UK has lots of information on their website about diabetes. They also have information on the different types, treatments and prevention.