Delivery of Specialist Community Diabetes Teams

Diabetes Ireland has launched its 2022 Pre-budget submission and is proposing 8 immediate actions for implementation which will improve the quality of life for over 225,000 people living with diabetes and reduce the long term costs of preventable diabetes complications. The submission is focused on a range of deliverable actions that are person-centred, cost effective and builds on existing HSE commitments to tackle chronic conditions including diabetes.

One of these Actions is the delivery of Specialist Community Diabetes Teams

Enhanced Community Care

The HSE Winter Plan 2020 included provisions to commence a targeted reform programme, in line with the vision set out by Sláintecare, known as the ‘Enhanced Community Care Programme’ (ECCP). This programme aims to resource and scale-up community healthcare services including specialist chronic disease (Diabetes; Cardiology; Respiratory) services in line with the National Framework for the Integrated Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease.

Diabetes Ireland welcomes and gives its full support to these reforms in care and requests that the allocated funding be ringfenced and not reduced in any way.

As part of this initiative, funding has been secured to appoint specialist community diabetes teams to cover all community health networks across the country. These specialist diabetes teams are comprised of:

Clinical Nurse Specialists Diabetes Integrated Care
Senior Dietitians (Diabetes)
Staff Grade Dietitians (Diabetes Prevention)
Clinical Specialist, Senior and Staff Grade Podiatrists (Foot Protection)

In addition to these community posts, funding was also secured for a limited number of specialist diabetes posts in the acute setting comprised of:

Consultant Endocrinologist, Lead in Integrated Diabetes Care (2 in total linked to Cork University Hospital and University Hospital Waterford)
Advanced Nurse Practitioners (Diabetes)
Diabetes Dietitians (Mixture of staff grade and senior grade)

Community and acute specialist diabetes teams will work together to support their colleagues in General Practice to develop and implement ambulatory care pathways and to manage complex diabetes care, and associated co-morbidities, within the community setting (where appropriate) and in line with the Model of Integrated Care for Type 2 Diabetes. The diabetes community support this model of integration for all people with diabetes and is calling for the community diabetes teams to be appointed.

Diabetes Ireland contacted all TDs and Senators on Wednesday 14 July on behalf of our community asking them to make representations on this and the other issues contained in our Pre-budget submission. Some of our active volunteers’ groups also followed up locally with their own local representatives. We are now asking you to Act. We need your help to highlight this issue once again in advance of the upcoming budget.

Call for Action: What Can I do?

Copy the template below into an email and if you wish add your personal story and reasons why this problem matters to you.
Find your local TD’s (constituency) https://www.oireachtas.ie/
Send your email to your local politicians.

Email/Letter Template

Dear (INSERT NAME OF TD)

I am a constituent and regular voter in your area.

I/my family member have/has lived with Type 2 diabetes for [INSERT YOUR DIABETES DURATION] years. (You can write here your personal story and the reason why you would like to highlight this particular issue to a politician)

I welcome the initiative of enhancing community care to increase access to specialist diabetes teams (community hubs) for people living with diabetes. My main worry is that access will be limited to people holding medical cards only and not be available to everyone with diabetes who need specialised treatment and care.

I am writing to you to ask for your support by asking the Minister for Health if access to the Specialist Community Diabetes team in our area under the Enhanced Community Care Programme will be available to all people with diabetes free of charge.

Parliamentary Question:

To ask the Minister for Health when will the Specialist Community Diabetes teams under the Enhanced Community Care Programme be appointed; will it be available to all people with diabetes free of charge and if he will make a statement on the matter.
To ask the Minister for Health to ensure the Specialist Community Diabetes team under the Enhanced Community Care Programme is appointed in [INSERT YOUR REGION WHERE YOU RECEIVE YOUR GP CARE]

For more detailed information about this issue, please see here: https://www.diabetes.ie/advocacy-call-to-action/delivery-of-specialist-community-diabetes-teams/

Thank you for your time in considering my request.

I hope to hear from you in due course.

Yours sincerely,

Your Name, Address, Email