A DORSET hospital is blazing a trail with its use of new remote technology to keep track of how well diabetes patients are managing their condition.

The Royal Bournemouth helped to develop, and is the first in the UK to trial, a system called T4NET, developed by Southampton-based company Axon TeleHealthCare.

It enables diabetics to download their blood sugar readings from a glucose meter or insulin pump into a home computer, where it is displayed on a graph. The data is sent via the internet to Axon's file server. From there it can be accessed by GPs, nurses or hospital specialists, who can send back advice.

Professor David Kerr, senior consultant at the Diabetes and Endocrine Centre, said: "This is one of the most exciting developments I have come across in years.

"It means fewer visits, and if people are in better control, the risk of developing complications is reduced.

"It also give patients the sense that they are being supported between appointments and means they can access expertise more easily. The ideal would be for patients, GPs and us to be connected."

Prof Kerr believes the technology could lead to Bournemouth becoming a centre of excellence for the remote care of UK and overseas patients with insulin pumps.

"It could reverse health tourism. People with type one diabetes would come to Bournemouth. We're now exploring its potential for other diabetes care and chronic disease management," he said.

"The beauty is that the system is flexible and adaptable. We are going to incorporate computer animation in conjunction with Bournemouth University to deliver diabetes education and we're hoping to use a computer game format for younger patients so they can learn more."

At the moment, the system is not available on the NHS, but it costs only £10 a month to use and Prof Kerr is convinced it would save the service money.

Colin Harding, co-founder of Axon, said a six-month trial at the hospital had shown that patients were controlling their diabetes to a level that equates to a 40 per cent drop in hospital admissions.

"There is verifiable clinical evidence that if people with diabetes are frequently monitored, you can prevent the continuing onset of complications. The perfect scenario would be for GPs to give us these patients early on," he said.

Among those who have used the system is Neil Hunter, the first type one insulin-dependent diabetic to row across the Atlantic in a racing pair last December.

He took insulin readings every two hours, uploading them into T4Net on the boat's laptop. The data was then monitored by Dr Ian Gallen, a sports diabetic expert who helped Sir Steve Redgrave continue rowing after his diagnosis of diabetes in 1997.