Diabetes UK, the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD), the Primary Care Diabetes Society (PCDS), Community Diabetes Consultants (CDC) and the RCN Diabetes Nursing Forum believe that all people with diabetes, including children and young persons, should have equal access to the best possible diabetes care on the basis of individual clinical need.
Current reforms in the NHS are having a significant impact on local services for people with diabetes. Although reconfiguration has the potential to improve the quality of services, problems can arise if changes are undertaken too hastily, without proper consultation or in a divisive manner.
Cooperation is crucial, and there is a need to guard against service providers competing against one another. An integrated approach to planning and delivering care across all diabetes services is likely to produce the best results for people with diabetes.
December 2007
Full position statement
You can download the full joint position statement under 'Downloads'.