New guidelines to improve the quality of care for people with diabetes living in care homes have been released.
They provide a series of indicators that can help inspectors to assess whether a service is meeting the particular needs of people with diabetes.
The guidance has been published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) having been developed in collaboration with Professor Alan Sinclair, from Diabetes Frail, and the JBDS (Joint British Diabetes Societies) Task Group.
Entitled ‘Guidance for CQC staff: Inspecting the quality of care for residents with diabetes mellitus living in care homes’, the publication also explains why people living with diabetes in care settings can be particularly vulnerable and dependent.
An assessment and support framework has also been included so that care home nurses are able to determine that the residents’ diabetes needs are being met thoroughly in a way that protects their dignity and rights.
Professor Alan Sinclair said: “Diabetes affects up to one in four care home residents whether they are residing in residential or nursing homes.
“People with diabetes are vulnerable to chest and urine infections and are often frail. When their health deteriorates it means there are high rates of admission to hospital, which is why it’s so important to monitor their healthcare, making sure they’re receiving the right level of care.”
JBDS Chair Professor Mike Sampson, who is a Consultant Diabetologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals, said: “This publication is long overdue and will be hugely welcomed by the diabetes community.
“If we can help care home workers to understand diabetes management better, then standards of care are going to improve.”
Dr Rob Gregory, Chair of the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD), a Diabetes Consultant from the University Hospitals of Leicester, has welcomed the guidelines.
He said “This valuable guidance will hopefully drive up the standard of care received by residents of care homes who have diabetes. The inclusion of diabetes in CQC inspections of care homes follows the commitment by the CQC to include diabetes-specific questions in its inspections of Acute Trusts. ABCD is now working with CQC to develop an assessment framework for diabetes care in community settings.”
