Executive summary
The past five years, since the introduction of the National Service Frameworks for diabetes, have seen substantial changes in the commissioning and design of specialist services. In that time, the prevalence of diabetes has increased creating a growing demand on both primary and specialist services.
In 2000, the ABCD study of secondary care services for diabetes in the UK revealed significant variation in resources and service provision. Since 2000, changes in the NHS and the reconfiguration of services have shifted the emphasis of providing care from specialist services to primary care. Diabetes UK and ABCD support care that is integrated and planned in collaboration with people with diabetes and all healthcare professionals involved in their care.
This survey, which was sent to consultants, is the first in a series of surveys to assess the current provision of specialist services. The second concerns screening services for diabetic retinopathy, a third covers the role of diabetes specialist nurses, nurse consultants and community DSNs and a further survey of paediatric services is planned for 2008.