Diabetes UK has produced guidance for implementing User Involvement. The document, Guidance for Primary Care Trusts(PCTs) and Diabetes Networks - User Involvement and the Diabetes National Service Framework (NSF) (July 2005) is available to download on this page.
Empowering and enabling people with diabetes to participate in the decision-making process related to their own healthcare, including consideration of their views, is central to the National Service Framework for diabetes (See Related Links).
Supporting and encouraging the involvement of people with diabetes in local service delivery is necessary to enable expression of views and concerns about their services. The needs of people living with diabetes should be central to every element of local decision making to meet political aspirations, improve legitimacy and ultimately to ensure a better service leading to improved care outcomes.
Involvement is an iterative process aiming to create a more person-centred service through enabling people with diabetes to have a ‘say’ in their own care and what and how their services are delivered.
Diabetes UK is committed to ensuring that the voice of people with diabetes is heard within the planning and monitoring of services at every level of the health service. Services must be built around the needs of people with diabetes, not the needs of the system. Meaningful consultation, involvement and feedback is central to achieving this.