Wales
What are Local Diabetes Services Advisory Groups (LDSAGs)?
Local Diabetes Advisory Groups (LDSAGs) are the means by which people with diabetes can help to shape local diabetes services. LDSAGs now exist in almost all Local Health Boards (LHBs) in Wales, and involve healthcare professionals, managers, people with diabetes and their families/carers, and sometimes Diabetes UK staff.
The Diabetes National Service Framework (NSF) for Wales is the Assembly's 10 year plan to improve diabetes services. The NSF states that each LHBs must have and LDSAGs with the following roles:
- Development of a local plan for diabetes care and prevention, with specific locally agreed objectives and targets.
- Advising on the development how services should be organised to meet identified needs.
- Developing systems to facilitate the achievement of the targets and of user satisfaction.
- Monitoring and auditing the quality of the service against the targets and standards set.
- Developing a local information system to assist in this process and identify shortfalls.
- Ensuring links between the deliverers and receivers of care.
The NSF also states that: "The involvement of people living with diabetes in LDSAGs will need to be facilitated by adequate training and support. Each LDSAG will require a user reference group of people living with diabetes, supported by the NHS locally."