Commissioning Diabetes Services for Older People: The NHS Diabetes commissioning approach helps to deliver high quality integrated care through a three-step process that ensures key elements needed to build an excellent diabetes service are in place. The approach is supported by a wide range of proven tools, resources and examples of shared learning.
Accessible at https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/nhs-diabetes/commissioning/commissioning-guide-diabetes-services-older-people-0611.pdf
Good Clinical Practice Guidelines for Care Home Residents with Diabetes (2010): These guidelines were created in order to improve diabetes care in residential and nursing homes by highlighting areas of special need for residents with diabetes in care homes. Recommendations were based on published evidence and interpretation by a multidisciplinary group of diabetes experts. These guidelines represent a national policy of Good Clinical Practice for diabetes care within care homes. Accessible at https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/About%20Us/Our%20views/Care%20recs/Care-homes-0110.pdf
European Diabetes Working Party for Older People (2011) Clinical Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (EDWPOP): The guidelines provide an evidence-based review of treatment for older people with diabetes and recommendations for practice in primary care, the community and secondary care settings. Particular areas of focus include screening and diagnosis, prevention, exercise and nutrition, secondary complications, hypoglycaemia, cognitive impairment, falls and immobility. Accessible at http://www.em-consulte.com/article/680660/alertePM
National Care Home Diabetes Audit (2013): This national audit revealed a lack of comprehensive assessment, monitoring and specialist care involved in care home diabetes care. The key conclusions of this work suggest that improvements to the current regulatory framework were necessary alongside the development of new standards for diabetes. Accessible at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Global/Homepage/News/England-wide%20Care%20Home%20Diabetes%20Audit.pdf
IDF Global Guideline for managing Older People with Type 2 Diabetes (2014): For this guidance, an International group of diabetes experts convened to discuss issues that require attention to achieve the highest quality of diabetes care for older people globally. This guideline offers recommendations in a wide range of older adults from those who are relatively well and active to those who are functionally dependant. Areas of focus included cardiovascular risk, education, renal impairment, diabetic foot disease, sexual health, pain and end of life care. Accessible at: https://www.idf.org/guidelines-older-people-type-2-diabetes
Diabetes UK End of Life Care Guidance (2013): The aim of this guidance was to provide an up to date strategy to promote high quality diabetes care at the end of life. This has been developed to address past issues including inconsistencies in care, variation in care planning, and a lack of knowledge and clinical skills among both health and social care professionals. Accessible at https://www.diabetes.org.uk/end-of-life-care.
Behind Closed Doors: the hidden impact of Diabetes in Social care (2013): a report which estimates the cost of diabetes to the social care sector. The report also provides an initial exploration of the impact of diabetes related complications, such as hypos, on health and care services and also the wider impact of diabetes in social care settings, particularly on carers and broader societal costs. The report also looks at the likely rising future cost of the condition, if current trends continue. Accessible at: http://www.scie-socialcareonline.org.uk/behind-closed-doors-the-hidden-impact-of-diabetes-in-social-care/r/a11G0000005W8lMIAS.
Guidance for CQC staff: Inspecting the quality of care for residents with diabetes mellitus living in care homes (2015): This guidance provides a series of indicators that can help inspectors to assess whether a care service is meeting the particular needs of people with diabetes. It also provides an assessment and support framework for care home nurses. Particular areas of importance include screening on admission, day to day diabetes care, access to specialist medical advice, comprehensive annual diabetes reviews and regular diabetes assessments, and care by GPs. Accessible at: http://diabetestimes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/20150703-Diabetes-Guidance-for-care-home-inspectors-CQC3.docx
End of Life Diabetes Care: Clinical Care Recommendations. Individuals with diabetes who are at the end of life have a unique set of care needs including those relating to health and social care. However, end of life diabetes care has been recognised as an area lacking quality standards and guidance on best clinical practice. This document aims to summarise a consistent but high quality approach towards end of life care for people with diabetes by providing a series of clinical care recommendations. Accessible at: http://trend-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/EoL_Guidance_2018_Final.pdf