Integrated district care based in a diabetes centre

District Diabetes Centres in the United Kingdom. A report on a workshop held by the Diabetes Education Study group on behalf of the British Diabetic Association

Dissatisfaction with standards of diabetes care in general, and the traditional diabetic clinic in particular, is widespread. Problems include the large numbers of attenders, short consultation times (often with inexperienced medical staff), lack of continuity and prolonged waiting times. Standards of education and control fall woefully below those that are desired. In recent years several different strategies have been adopted to provide solutions, including general practitioner cooperative care schemes to reduce numbers and improve community care, the appointment of diabetes specialist nurses to take on the major educational role, and the commissioning of special education units designed to remove the educational element from the traditional clinic environment. Lately consideration has been given to the development of Diabetes Centres, to provide more comprehensive diabetes care, both educational and clinical. A workshop was held in January 1987 to analyse in greater detail the concept of Diabetes Centres and the consequences of their implementation.