Diabetes care plan for Wales unveiled

A new plan to improve care for people with diabetes and reduce rates incidence of the condition in Wales has been launched by the Welsh government.
Announced by Health Minister Mark Drakeford, ‘Together for Health – A Diabetes Delivery Plan’ outlines three areas of focus for patient care; improving patient education on the disease, introducing a diabetes patient management system to identify and manage care in a more effective and streamlined way, and better support for children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
It also lays out the Government’s expectations for the NHS to combat the growing rate of diabetes, including ways of tackling the growing type 2 diabetes epidemic. Diabetes currently affects around 7% of the adult population in Wales, but this figure is predicted to rise to 10% by 2020.
“There is a growing prevalence of diabetes in Wales and we have to find new ways of delivering world class care in these times of financial austerity,” Prof Drakeford said.
“Effective self management of diabetes is essential for helping individual wellbeing but also avoiding unnecessary admissions to hospitals. It is not only a matter of working harder, but working smarter.
“This framework prepared with clinicians, patients, third sector groups and others will now help the NHS in Wales do just that.”
Commenting on the plan, Dai Williams, National Director of Diabetes UK Cymru, said it “shows a real commitment by Welsh Government to improve standards of care for people living with diabetes”.
He added: “It is now up to local health boards across the country to take this blueprint for diabetes care and put it into practice. This is the only way we can achieve real positive change for people living with diabetes and take control of the public health crisis we are currently facing.”