A white paper on Type 2 Diabetes has been launched with the Cross-Party Parliamentary Group on Diabetes which explores the trends and opportunities for improving the standard of care and services for people with diabetes in Ireland. and.
The white paper incorporated interview input from people living with Type 2 diabetes, researchers and academics alongside a national patient survey of Diabetes Ireland members. The white paper identified six key themes and specific interventions to support improved outcomes, emphasising the importance of preventative actions and early intervention to reduce the impact of T2DM and disease complications on patients. Additional recommendations include a coordinated policy approach to Type 2 diabetes care in Ireland and the establishment of an improved data system, such as a national register of people with T2DM to allow for improved policy and care decisions.
Welcoming the white paper, Deputy Cormac Devlin said “The prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes continues to increase each year. The paper highlights the need for a co-ordinated policy and strategic approach for preventing and managing Type 2 diabetes. The prevention and building out the model of care for people with Type 2 Diabetes in Ireland should be a key priority for Government.
As highlighted in the research, Type 2 diabetes is a complex condition so therefore significant intervention is needed to reduce occurrences of the condition and development of associated complications.
The paper makes clear that there is major scope to improve quality of care provided to people with Type 2 diabetes in Ireland. .“
Speaking on the patient experience, Dr Deidre Fitzgerald Hughes, Senior Lecturer at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences said ‘Living with Type 2 Diabetes is not just managing your blood glucose. It is living with fear and anxiety of a complication that could potentially turn your life, your family, your career, upside down. Avoiding, delaying or dealing with complications is relentless, an exhausting schedule of multiple appointments, often with mobility issues, while juggling the other demands of family or work or both.’
