Focus RCPCH
Making a difference for children and young people with diabetes Discovering your child has diabetes can have a devastating impact on a family. For the first few weeks and months, that sudden diagnosis dominates parents’ lives as they seek more information, research the options available and support their child. Life will be different – but that doesn’t mean any less fulfilled. The National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA) highlighted that we risked failing our children through inadequate provision of care. A drive to tackle the factors impeding good diabetic control began in 2009 - designed to make England and Wales leading nations to drive down glycaemic levels (HbA1C), and support families and young people.
SUMMER 2018
Delivering measurable outcomes has been supported by tireless work of
clinical experts in eleven networks, led by clinical chairs and network managers. Their remit has been to drive improvement in their region, get to know and work with individual units, identifying solutions that reflect national policy, but also accommodate local demand and resources. HbA1c levels in England and Wales are 64.6 mmol/mol – the NICE target is 48 mmol/mol - so there is still a long way to go. The RCPCH is at the heart of the improvements. The NPDA has had 100% engagement for seven years, providing patient-level data to drive improvement nationally and locally. 2018 sees the audit introducing patient reported experience measures and spotlight audits, while we are providing a new national Diabetes Quality Programme.
Aiming to involve every unit in England and Wales, this programme, supported by the National Network, offers clinical teams opportunities to share and learn from each other through self-assessment, peer review and an active programme of quality improvement over a three year period. Unit self-asessments began in May, applications for the next QI collaborative open in June and peer review visits commence in October. For more information contact diabetesquality@rcpch.ac.uk or see www.rcpch.ac.uk/diabetesquality. Keep up to date with the latest NPDA information at: www.rcpch.ac.uk/npda
SUE EARDLEY Head of Invited Reviews
FEATURING Epilepsy12: a national clinical audit 2 From the President 6 4 Meet the new RCPCH CEO 7 From members and committees 5 New Facing the Future: Standards 10 The NHS &Us – what do children for children in emergency care settings
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