Diabetes Quality Standard launched

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has announced the launch of their draft Quality Standard for diabetes . The standard, which will affect how the NHS manages the metabolic condition in England, covers the treatment of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, although it doesn’t deal with the management of pregnant women or patients who have gestational diabetes .
The aim of the Quality Standard is to illustrate high-quality care in England, and help examine the existing treatment of diabetes as well as how to improve support services for the disease.
The quality statements issued by NICE will be assist in offering guidance concerning the planning of services, advising people with diabetes of the type and amount of care they should expect to receive, and also give backing to healthcare professionals in their provision of evidenced-based care.
Stella Valerkou, senior policy officer at the charity Diabetes UK, commented “The NHS White Paper has signalled a significant role for the NICE Quality Standards. With diabetes affecting over 2.3 million adults in England, it is imperative the NICE Quality Standard for diabetes underpins the delivery of high-quality care that supports people with diabetes to self manage their condition, reduces their risk of developing the complications, and supports effective management of these should they develop.”
Diabetes UK is now calling for feedback and comments on the draft standard until the December 16, 2010, before it responds to NICE.