The Diabetes Service provides specialist advice with friendly, professional, and supportive diabetes doctors (endocrinologists), diabetes nurse educators, dietitians, and podiatrists.

We can help you learn how to look after your diabetes, choose what food is best to eat and give you advice for the best management for your diabetes.

What we do

The aim of the Diabetes Service is to improve or maintain the health and wellness of people with diabetes and related chronic conditions, and to empower them to self-manage their condition.

The Diabetes Service provides both inpatient consultations and outpatient services across the district. Outpatient clinics occur at Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Nowra, St Georges Basin, Milton and the Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS).

Outpatient services

• Individual education
• Group education
• Paediatric clinics
• Teleconferencing
• Insulin pump therapy
• In-services (health care facilities, schools, local organisations)
• Clinical Trials
• Podiatry - The podiatry clinic in the Diabetes Service provides foot care specifically for patients with foot wounds (ulceration or amputation) or Charcot neuro-arthropathy. This service is one of several foot wound clinics across the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, including Wollongong, Port Kembla, Shellharbour and Shoalhaven Hospitals.

Inpatient services

• Consultation with in-patients and their families (Coledale to Milton/Ulladulla)
• Ward in-services

* Individuals referred to the podiatrist must have an ACTIVE foot wound.
* A combined ante natal and gestational diabetes education group is conducted at The Wollongong Hospital for women who are 36 weeks pregnant

When to access this service

When you are looking for diabetes or pre diabetes care.

What to expect

Our friendly staff will help you to make an appointment with the right person.

• The Diabetes Educator will help you learn how to look after your diabetes
• The Dietitian will help you choose what food is best to eat for your diabetes
• The Podiatrist helps people with foot ulcers only. The Diabetes Educator can talk about ways to see a podiatrist for other concerns
• The Endocrinologist: is a specialist doctor who will give advice for the best treatment for your diabetes.

If you have just been diagnosed with diabetes you may come to a group. This will go for about 2 1/2 hours. You will see the Diabetes Educator and Dietitian. Individual appointments may also be made.

Who should access this service

People who have diabetes and pre-diabetes.

How to access this service

Your GP can send a referral directly to the Diabetes Service.  We will contact you to make an appointment.

You do not need a referral to see the nurse educator or dietitian.

To make an appointment:

• Phone the Illawarra Shoalhaven Diabetes Service on 1300 308 969
• Press 1 to make an appointment.

We can book an interpreter in your language if you need it. It is a free service.

The Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) also offers a diabetes service. Appointments are made through the AMS on 4229 9495.

What to bring

• Any paperwork relating to your appointment.
• A list of all the medications (tablets and injections) you take.
• Your Medicare and/or Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) card.
• Factsheets:

Initial appointment information - Illawarra

Initial appointment information - Shoalhaven