Care when you are in hospital

Information for the public

If you go into hospital because you are ill or need an operation, your expertise and knowledge of managing your diabetes should be respected and followed. If possible, you should be involved in food choices, monitoring your blood glucose and any changes to your insulin treatment.

If you can eat, you should be able to carry on with insulin injections (or an insulin pump if you use one). You should be able to inject the insulin yourself if you want to and can do so safely. The number of injections and the doses and types of insulin may change to take account of your illness and any changes in food intake.

You will need intravenous insulin (through a drip) if:

you are unable to eat, or are likely to miss more than 1 meal or
you are having treatment or surgery that will make your blood glucose levels unpredictable or
your illness means you are less able to absorb insulin.