A SPECIAL box was hand delivered by a hospital chief to nurses on a ward in the hope of improving care for people with diabetes.

Alan Whittle, chief executive of Basildon Hospital, delivered the Hypo Box to the Mary Seacole ward on World Diabetes Day. The box, developed by the diabetes nursing team, aims to ensure all staff across the hospital have a step-by-step guide to treating hypoglycaemia.

The box is the first of several that will be put on each ward and contain glucose sweets, new blood glucose monitoring forms and a flow chart explaining signs and symptoms.

Nicola Lewis, a diabetes nurse, said: “Until now staff have used various ways of treating hypoglycaemia. The Hypo Boxes give staff the tools to treat hypos promptly and in a standardised, evidence based way. Of course I and other members of the diabetes team will always be on hand to offer advice to staff or speak to patients and their families about all diabetes related problems.”