Community health services

staff in the garden at Mile End Hospital
  1. Patient and nurse during hospital appointment at St Bartholomew's Hospital
    Appointments
  2. Smiling nurse on telephone
    Contact us

Community diabetes service

Community diabetes service

Our community diabetes service provides care and education for people living with diabetes in Tower Hamlets. We aim to make managing diabetes easier by offering support closer to home, often in your GP surgery. Our team of diabetes specialists works with patients, families, and local GP practices to ensure everyone gets high-quality, joined-up care.

What we offer

We provide:

  • Appointments with diabetes specialist nurses, usually at your GP surgery, alongside your GP or practice nurse.
  • Expert advice and education to help you understand and manage your condition day-to-day.
  • Support for GPs and healthcare professionals ensuring you get consistent, high-quality care across the community.
  • Access to dietitians, psychologists, education programmes and screening services: all designed to help you live well with diabetes.

Our team

You may meet:

  • Diabetes consultants and lead nurses
  • Diabetes nurse specialists and educators (including Bengali and English-speaking staff)
  • Dietitians and a clinical psychologist
  • Podiatrists and link workers
  • Administrative staff supporting your care
  • Retinal screening staff from Moorfields Eye Hospital (for your annual diabetic eye check)

Specialist services

  • Dietetics service: dietitians provide tailored nutrition advice in GP surgeries and at Mile End diabetes centre.
  • Clinical psychologist: offers emotional support and practical strategies for living well with diabetes.
  • Diabetes education programmes:
    • X-PERT: group sessions for people with type 2 diabetes to build skills and confidence in self-care.
    • DAFNE (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating): for people with type 1 diabetes, teaching how to adjust insulin for a more flexible lifestyle.
    • CHO counting workshops: learn or refresh carbohydrate counting skills.
  • Diabetic eye screening: annual checks to protect your vision (you’ll be referred automatically by your GP).

Where you’ll be seen

Most people are seen in their own GP practice, making it easier to access care close to home. Some specialist clinics, including education programmes and eye screening, take place at the Diabetes Centre, Mile End Hospital or The Royal London Hospital.

How to access our service

  • Speak to your GP or practice nurse for a referral to our diabetes specialists, education programmes or dietitian clinics.
  • Annual eye screening appointments are arranged automatically once you are referred into the programme.

Contact us

Visit us: North East London Diabetes Eye Screening Programme, Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Phone us: 020 8510 7611

Email us

Refer to our service (for clinicians)

Patients can be referred to the Community Diabetes Service for specialist diabetes nursing support or dietetic input via the Single point of access form for adult community services[docx] 68KB

Referral routes

Contact details for referrals

Diabetic eye screening programme

All people with diabetes should have annual retinal screening appointments arranged via the North East London Diabetes Eye Screening Programme.

  • Phone: 020 8510 7611
  • Email

Useful websites

Community heart failure service

Community heart failure service

We’re here to support people in Tower Hamlets who have been diagnosed with heart failure. Our team works closely with hospital specialists and other healthcare professionals to make sure you get the right care, advice and treatment for your needs.

We aim to help you understand and manage your condition, improve your quality of life and know when to seek help if your symptoms change.

What we do

  • Provide tailored treatment plans based on national heart failure guidelines
  • Offer advice and education to help you manage your condition
  • Support you to recognise signs that your heart failure is getting worse, so you can act early and avoid hospital admission
  • See patients at home if they are housebound, or in local community clinics for those who prefer not to attend hospital

How to access our service

This is not an emergency service. Access is based on your level of need.

You can be referred by:

  • Your GP or GP practice nurse
  • A hospital consultant or the hospital heart failure team (usually after discharge)
  • District nurses, community matrons or other specialist nurses

Appointments

Our heart failure nurses arrange appointments Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm (excluding bank holidays).

  • Out of hours: Contact your GP or NHS 111
  • Emergencies: Call 999

We aim to see patients within 1–2 weeks of referral. Appointments may take place in a community clinic, over the phone, or at home if you are housebound.

Who you’ll see

Our service is led by experienced heart failure nurse specialists, with support from consultant cardiologists and other healthcare professionals as needed.

Before your appointment

Please have the following ready:

  • A list of all your medicines and any recent information from your doctors or healthcare professionals
  • Notes about your current symptoms or any changes in how you feel
  • Any questions or concerns you’d like to discuss

Contact us

For appointments or enquiries

  • Call 020 8223 8658
  • Or contact the team on 020 8121 4152 / 4150 (you can leave a message if we’re not available)

Refer to our service (for clinicians)

Patients can be referred to the Community Heart Failure Service by primary or secondary care professionals via the Single point of access form for adult community services[docx] 68KB

Referral criteria:

  • A confirmed diagnosis of heart failure (echocardiogram required before referral)

Patients requiring further medical assessment before referral include:

  • Atrial Fibrillation with a heart rate above 100bpm
  • Syncope within the past six months
  • Current unstable angina
  • Baseline creatinine greater than 150µmol/L or GFR less than 30

We do not accept referrals for:

  • Patients under 18 years of age
  • Patients who refuse the service
  • Patients without objective evidence of cardiac dysfunction as the cause of their heart failure
  • Patients with other immediate life-threatening illnesses (e.g. end-stage renal failure, severe COPD, advanced malignancy)

Useful resources

Community neurology services

Community neurology services

We provide specialist assessment, treatment and support for adults with neurological conditions. These include traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, stroke, and long-term conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and Parkinson’s Disease.

Our aim is to help people manage their symptoms, work towards personal goals, and maximise independence, safety, and quality of life.

Who we are

We are a multi-disciplinary team based at Mile End Hospital. The team includes:

  • Clinical psychologists
  • Occupational therapists
  • Physiotherapists
  • Speech and language therapists (supporting both neuro and non-neuro patients)
  • Rehabilitation support workers
  • A neuro navigator
  • Administrative support

We work closely with patients, carers and other health and social care professionals to ensure everyone gets the right support for their needs.

Where we see patients

We provide rehabilitation and therapy in:

  • Your own home
  • Our dedicated gym or clinic space at Mile End Hospital
  • Other community settings, depending on your needs

What happens when you're referred?

All referrals are reviewed by a senior member of the team. As part of this process, we may contact you, your carer or next of kin, and sometimes your referrer, to understand:

  • How your condition is currently affecting you
  • Any urgent risks or concerns, such as risk of deterioration or anxiety
  • Opportunities for early rehabilitation
  • Your home and social situation, such as isolation or lack of support

This helps us prioritise your referral based on your clinical need.

Once triaged, you will be:

  • Placed on the waiting list for the specialist support you need (e.g. physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychology, or speech and language therapy), or
  • Invited to attend one of our group sessions if appropriate

Please note: we are not a rapid response service. Many of our patients require ongoing rehabilitation or long-term condition management, which can affect waiting times.

Contact us

Phone: 020 8223 8841

Community nutrition and dietetics

Community nutrition and dietetics service

We provide support and advice to help adult residents in Tower Hamlets and Newham improve their health through good nutrition. Our team includes dietitians, nutritionists and dietetic support workers who are experts in food and diet-related conditions.

We work in many settings – including local clinics, patients’ homes, nursing and care homes, and community groups – to make it easier for you to get the support you need.

What we offer

  • Personalised advice on healthy eating and managing diet-related health conditions
  • Specialist support for people who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition
  • Home visits for patients who are unable to attend clinics and meet referral criteria
  • Support for patients with enteral tube feeding, including dedicated dietitians in each borough
  • Expert guidance for health professionals who need advice on nutrition and dietetics

Accessing our service

Tower Hamlets residents

Newham residents

  • Referrals can be made by any healthcare professional using our referral form, To request a form, email the team and return it via email or post to: Department of nutrition and dietetics, Newham Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, Glen Road, Plaistow, London E13 8SL
  • You can also phone us on 020 7363 9249 (community dietitians) or 020 7363 8317 (administrator).

For clinicians

  • We accept clinical referrals for patients with a MUST (malnutrition universal screening tool) score of 2 or above who require a home visit.
  • There is a dedicated home enteral tube feeding dietitian in both Tower Hamlets and Newham for patients on enteral feeding.
  • Health professionals are welcome to contact us for expert advice on any diet or nutrition-related matters.

Useful websites and contacts

Community respiratory services

Adult respiratory care and rehabilitation (ARCARe)

ARCARe is a specialist community and hospital respiratory service for people living in Tower Hamlets and for patients admitted to The Royal London Hospital with a diagnosed chronic respiratory condition.

We work closely with patients, their families, and other healthcare professionals to help improve breathing, manage long-term conditions, and enhance quality of life. 

What we offer

Our service includes:

  • Community virtual ward for respiratory patients
  • Inpatient COPD and asthma reviews during hospital stays
  • Pulmonary rehabilitation programmes to help you manage your condition and improve activity levels
  • Diagnostic spirometry for suspected COPD or asthma
  • Home oxygen service for assessment and ongoing review
  • General asthma clinic (held at St Bartholomew’s Hospital)

Our team includes a respiratory consultant, respiratory nurse specialists, physiotherapists, an occupational therapist, a psychologist, a dietitian, respiratory physiologists, rehabilitation support workers, and administrative support staff.

Referring to ARCARe

Community virtual ward, pulmonary rehabilitation and oxygen reviews

GPs or clinicians with EMIS access should send referrals via the Single point of access form for adult community services[docx] 68KB.

Diagnostic spirometry

For suspected COPD or asthma patients with symptoms, please use GP access spirometry via ERS:

  • Select: Specialty – Lung Function → Diagnostic Physiological Measurement → Clinic Type – Respiratory → GP Access Spirometry – Respiratory Medicine (RLH) – Barts Health NHS Trust – R1H

Other referrals or queries

  • For urgent queries, call the triage team on 07983 177 719
  • For non-urgent referrals or questions, email the team or call 020 8223 8509

Referral criteria

Take part in research

ARCARe is involved in respiratory research, including:

You need to be part of our pulmonary rehabilitation programme to take part. Please ask your healthcare team for more information.

Sunny waving gif

We support children and families in Tower Hamlets

So that they can grow, learn and thrive

Our children’s community health services are here to help, offering specialist care for children and young people from birth to 19 years old.

We work hand-in-hand with families, schools and other professionals to make sure your child gets the right help, when and where they need it.

Find out more