As the Dáil returns, we are delighted to share that the development of a National Diabetes Strategy is among the priorities of the Programme for Government. This will help to ensure that the work of Diabetes Policy and Services Review multidisciplinary stakeholder group set up by the former Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD will continue.
You may recall, that in July 2024 the former Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD, established the Diabetes Policy and Services Review. A multidisciplinary group of stakeholders including people with diabetes, diabetes advocates, clinicians, researchers and management professionals worked collaboratively to build a better tomorrow for diabetes care in Ireland and met three times last year to agree on the vision, leadership and a forward-looking plan that provides optimum care for every person living with diabetes in Ireland.
The Diabetes Policy and Services Review Group was charged with providing a report to the Minister for Health identifying gaps and weaknesses in current diabetes services, a set of actions, and a plan to improve service delivery and patient outcomes. Representatives of the Department of Health, the HSE and Diabetes Ireland is now finalising the report, which should be submitted to the new Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD in the coming weeks. Prioritising the development of a national diabetes strategy in the programme for government is a positive sign and we hope the recommendations and action plans set out in the final report will be accepted for implementation by the Minister for Health. Read more about Diabetes Policy and Services Review here: https://www.diabetes.ie/national-diabetes-strategy-mandated-by-the-minister-for-health/
After many years of advocacy by the diabetes community for improved diabetes services, we are delighted to see that diabetes has not been forgotten by the new government. In the years to come, there is no doubt we will need to continue to advocate for the provision of new funding to implement the strategy and we will need to continue to work together as one community to see the improvements in diabetes services we desire.