Diabetes expert calls for self-management education programmes in light of systematic failures

Oct 20 2015

People with diabetes denied access to education are being let down by "systematic failures", according to a leading researcher.

Ensuring people with the condition receive "fully-evidenced" structured education and support should be a fundamental part of the health service, Professor Melanie Davies has said.

The internationally renowned expert in Type 2 diabetes made the comments in response to new analysis showing an estimated 2.5 million people with diabetes have not received high-quality, structured education and self-management support.

The InDependent Diabetes Trust’s (IDDT) report, ‘Diabetes 2015: Care in Crisis’ based on a survey of more than 15,000 people and published today, has also revealed that nearly 40 per cent were not given appropriate advice and information about diet and exercise at the time of diagnosis.

Almost 40 per cent of people with diabetes believe the NHS has "worsened" since the £1.1bn health service reforms, according to the survey.

Professor Davies – who is Professor of Diabetes Medicine at the Diabetes Research Centre, University of Leicester, and Co-Director of the Leicester Diabetes Centre – said:

With diabetes prevalence continuing to rise, the NHS faces a major challenge.

Self-management education programmes that meet the national quality standards are a proven way of supporting people to self-care in diabetes. We believe this kind of fully-evidenced diabetes education is key to preventing this looming NHS crisis and the misery of the complications of the condition.

People with diabetes who are denied access to education are being let down by systematic failures because education should be at the heart of diabetes care. Local health services not offering structured education are failing people with diabetes.