There are national standards and guidelines for diabetes which have been agreed across the UK to make sure the level of care that you receive is of the highest quality and standard no matter where you live. These agreed standards and guidelines are known by different names depending on where you live.
Standards and guidelines
In England and Wales there are the National Service Frameworks for Diabetes and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
In Scotland there are the Scottish Diabetes Framework and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).
In Northern Ireland there are currently no national standards for diabetes, although the cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels) framework contains three standards in the diabetes section which relate to screening, education and psychological support and annual reviews. Diabetes UK is campaigning vigorously for a dedicated diabetes framework.
Although the standards vary, they contain information on:
- the prevention and early identification of Type 2 diabetes
- encouraging partnership between a person with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and their diabetes healthcare team in relation to decision-making and provision of education
- improving clinical care, including provision of education, personal care plans and how these should be agreed
- prevention, early detection and management of diabetes-related complications
- improving the care of children and young people with diabetes
- better treatment of diabetes when someone is admitted to hospital
- integrated health and social care for those who need it
- support for women with pre-existing diabetes who wish to become pregnant, are pregnant, or those who develop diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes).
In addition to these standards and guidelines, the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) was introduced in 2004. This sets out a range of national quality measures for GP practices, financially rewarding them where they are able to demonstrate that they have provided good care.