Diabetes care areas - click here to navigate to care area page
- Cardiovascular care
- Children and young people
- Diagnosis and continuing care
- Education
- Emotional and psychological support
- End of life
- Equality in diabetes
- Prevention and risk management
- Eye services
- Footcare
- Emergency and inpatient
- Kidney care
- Mental health and learning difficulties
- Neuropathy care
- Pregnancy
- Services for older people
- User involvement
Ask a question
If there's something you'd like no know and you can't find it on our website please fill in the short form below and we'll get back to you. We aim to respond to questions within 5 working days.
Name:*
Job title:
Organisation:
Email:*
Telephone:
Question:*
Please tick this box if you do not want to
receive our Newsletter
* Required fields
The team does not and cannot offer clinical advice. If you have any urgent medical enquiries we urge you to contact your GP, or NHS Direct at www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk or by calling 0845 4647. In an emergency call 999
Emotional and psychological support
The Challenge
Compared with the general population, prevalence of psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety and eating disorders amongst people with diabetes is significantly increased. It is estimated that 41 per cent of people with diabetes will experience poor psychological well being.
Poor emotional and psychological wellbeing among people with diabetes is associated with poor glycaemic control, increasing the risk of developing diabetes-related complications, which can lead to reduced quality of life, increased healthcare costs, lost productivity and increased mortality. The provision of emotional and psychological treatment and support has been found to reduce psychological distress and improve health related outcomes.
How is NHS Diabetes supporting you?
NHS Diabetes is collaborating with many organisations to develop a comprehensive model of care for the emotional and psychological support for people with diabetes. NHS Diabetes is a publication partner of the NICE quality standard for diabetes in adults, standard none of which states that 'people with diabetes are assessed for psychological problems, which are then managed appropriately'.
The joint NHS Diabetes and Diabetes UK Emotional and Psychological Support and Care working group published a report detailing the range and complexity of emotional and psychological support needed by people with diabetes. The report also highlights the current challenges for emotional and psychological support services together with guidance and recommendations in areas including: commissioning, organisation of care, provision of services, workforce and future research priorities.
NHS Diabetes publications
NHS Diabetes Commissioning guides, particularly:
- Commissioning Guide Diabetes and Mental Health (PDF 2.9MB)
- Commissioning Guide Children and Young People with Diabetes (PDF 3.5MB)
- Commissioning Guide Diabetes Service for Older People (PDF 2.7MB)
- Commissioning Guide Diabetes End of Life Care Services (PDF 455KB)
- Commissioning Guide Diagnosis and continuing Care Services (PDF 2.8MB)
- Commissioning Guide Neuropathy Care (PDF 2.4MB)
- Commissioning Guide Diabetes and Pregnancy (PDF 3.1MB)
- Knowledge and Information Repository: Emotional and psychological support in diabetes, May 2011 (PDF 670KB)
- Emotional and psychological support and care in diabetes: Report from the emotional and psychological support working group of NHS Diabetes and Diabetes UK, March 2010 (PDF 6.5MB)
