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This page...
is aimed at providers of diabetes care. It brings together guidance, policy, commissioning guides, links to care pathways and examples of how inpatient services can be improved for people with diabetes.
Inpatient network
The challenge
People with diabetes account for 15 per cent of inpatients in England – and over one third experience at least one medication error while in hospital. Patients with diabetes and are admitted for routine surgery stay on average 2.6 days longer than those without. It is estimated that prolonged stays in hospital among people with diabetes result in about 80,000 bed days per year.
How does the inpatient network support you?
We are supporting better inpatient care and reduced length of stay and preparation for discharge, with a focus on health economic analysis to highlight excess spend on diabetes inpatient care.
Building on the pioneering National Diabetes Inpatient Audits of 2009 and 2010, NHS Diabetes is continuing to drive up quality in diabetes hospital care by launching a new inpatient network. The virtual network was launched in September 2011. The network will provide an online forum to bring together health professionals with a specific interest in inpatient care for people with diabetes. The network will allow two-way sharing of good practice, news and developments in this area.
Ursula Anderson, NHS Diabetes Programme Manager Network Lead will be working with Dr Gerry Rayman as the National Clinical Network Lead, supported by Information Specialist Dr Bob Young and Nurse Consultant June James.
Network objectives
The overarching aim of the network is to reduce variation and improve the quality of life and outcomes for people with diabetes. Specifically, it aims to:
- Reduce medication errors in hospitals
- Raise inpatient diabetes care up the national policy agenda
- Present an economic argument for investing in specialist diabetes care in hospitals
- Develop core competencies for non-specialist health care professional
How to get involved
We would like to know more about what you think the network should offer. To have your say complete our online survey.
If you would like more information contact our project lead Ursula Anderson: ursula.anderson@diabetes.nhs.uk.
Network Bulletins
News
- Prevention of hospital acquired foot ulcers - join the study
- Inpatient Network Annual Conference - Feedback of the National Diabetes Inpatient Audit 2011: 31 May 2012
- Inpatient Network Annual Conference flyer (PDF 243KB)
- NHS Diabetes guidance featured in renowned journal
Supporting resources
- Inpatient Network Flyer (PDF 574KB)
- Find out more about our inpatient and emergency work
- Diabetes Inpatient Specialist Nurse (DISN) Group - join the group to share ideas, best practice and offer peer support
- Research and evaluation: Evaluation of the 2009 National Diabetes Inpatient Audit
- Diabetes Specialist Nurse business case example by Kings College (PDF 39.2KB)
- Inpatient Care for People with Diabetes: The Economic Case for Change, Nov 2011 (PDF 10.5MB)
- Inpatient Care for People with Diabetes: The Economic Case for Change Factsheet, Nov 2011 (PDF 150.4KB)
- NHS Diabetes suite of e-learning modules to improve patient safety
- NHS Diabetes quality improvement tools
- National Diabetes Inpatient Audit 2009
- National Diabetes Inpatient Audit 2010
- National Diabetes Inpatient Audit 2011
- A commissioning guide: commissioning diabetes emergency and inpatient care (PDF 295KB)
- Peri-operative Management of Diabetes for Elective Admissions (PPT 750KB) - Decision making pathway tool for patient specific advice developed by Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust. For more information contact Kate Marsden.
