§ Nick HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what provisions are in place to provide healthcare professionals with extensive and accurate information about diabetes; and if he will make a statement; [143737]
(2) what provisions there are for education on mild diabetes; and if he will make a statement. [143740]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe diabetes national service framework (NSF) states that 'the NHS will need to ensure that all health professionals involved in the 991W diagnosis and care of people with diabetes receive continuing training to ensure that they are appropriately skilled in the diagnosis and management of diabetes' (page 29 of the "Diabetes National Service Framework for Diabetes: Standards document"). Curriculum content for pre-registration education and training programmes for healthcare professionals is determined by individual higher education institutions (HEIs) in the light of recommendations from the relevant regulatory bodies. Post registration training needs for all national health service healthcare staff is determined locally through skills auditing of teams against priority local needs and through the appraisal process. In addition there are a number of central initiatives to increase healthcare professionals' access to knowledge, such as the development of the National Electronic Library for Health's specialist 'branch' library for diabetes and 'Diabetes NSF Zone' and the Department of Health's commitment to establishing a National Knowledge Service.
Structured patient education is an integral part of the diabetes NSF and its provision is a key intervention for Standard 3 of the NSF that is concerned with patient empowerment. All people with diabetes will receive a service that encourages partnership in decision-making and supports them in managing their diabetes. This is reflected in the "Planning and Priorities Framework for the NHS 2003–06", that includes targets for the diabetes NSF. One such target states the need for primary care trusts to update practice-based registers for people with diabetes by March 2006. This will help to ensure that they receive systematic treatment regimens and advice, including the provision of information, education and psychological support, to help them in managing their own condition.