Diabetes - Scotland

According to the Scottish Diabetes Survey 2011 there were 247, 278 people diagnosed with diabetes in Scotland recorded on local diabetes registers at the start of 2011 representing 4.7 per cent of the population – see Scottish Diabetes Survey 2011.

The Scottish Public Health Observatory provides some information on estimated numbers of undiagnosed cases of diabetes in Scotland - see the section of their website on undiagnosed diabetes.

The following resources were last accessed on 31 October 2012. Some of them are in PDF format - see how to access PDF files. They are arranged under headings.

National service framework

Diabetes in Scotland
This website brings together information on the Framework developed in Scotland and the subsequent action plans, key groups, events, educational opportunities for professionals and patients, publications and research.

Scottish Government (2010) Diabetes action plan 2010: quality care for diabetes in Scotland
This continues the range of work set out in the 2006 action plan and reflects the principles of the Scottish Quality Strategy. The plan is also influenced by the diabetes clinical standards of 2002, the criteria in the diabetes domain of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) and the SIGN guideline 116 on the management of diabetes. It discusses in detail what is required to improve aspects of diabetes care and the delivery of care in Scotland and sets out the actions that will be taken to achieve this.

Scottish Executive (2002) Scottish Diabetes Framework
The framework draws together existing guidance and practice amongst which two key documents are the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guideline on 'Management of Diabetes' published in 2001, and the Clinical Standards published in 2002. The framework consists of 22 building blocks, seven of which have been identified as first stage priorities, arranged under six broad headings.

National clinical guidelines and standards

Further guidelines and standards for specific aspects of diabetes and diabetes care are also included within the specific resource lists.

Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (2002) Clinical standards diabetes. Second edition
These standards apply to specific elements of diabetes and cover organisation; patient focus and clinical aspects. The 10 standards are used to assess performance in these areas in trusts throughout Scotland where diabetes services are provided.

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (2008) Diabetes national overview follow-up report
This report, based on the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland follow-up reports for each NHS board area, presents a national overview of diabetes services within NHS Scotland; reporting on the performance across Scotland against the standards and including relevant examples of local initiatives. The report is made available on the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website which has taken on work previously done by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and other bodies.

Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) (2010) Management of diabetes (SIGN publication number 116)
This guideline provides recommendations based on current evidence for best practice in the management of diabetes. This is a selective update. Where new evidence did not update existing evidence the guideline text and recommendations were reproduced from SIGN 55. The guideline includes recommendations on: lifestyle interventions for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes; managing psychosocial issues in people with diabetes; managing type 1 diabetes; glucose-lowering therapies in people with type 2 diabetes; managing cardiovascular, kidney and foot diseases in people with diabetes; preventing visual impairment in people with diabetes and managing type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

Managed Clinical Networks

The Managed Clinical Networks (MCNs) were established "to bring together clinicians, patients and carers to work across traditional boundaries in planning and delivering diabetes care", and are governed by a set of principles. Using these principles each of the Health Boards in Scotland has established a Managed Clinical Network for diabetes. See: Managed Clinical Networks.

Other resources

Diabetes in Scotland: Surveys
The annual Scottish Diabetes Survey is the key source of information on diabetes in Scotland. The survey collates data submitted by all 14 NHS Boards and provides data on the number of people with diabetes, the effects on their health, and the progress being made to improve the delivery and outcomes of care for diabetes with separate reporting on typ1 and type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes UK Scotland
This section of the Diabetes UK website includes information gathered from the annual Scottish Diabetes Surveys, and from Diabetes UK surveys alongside information from Scottish government publications.

You can access information about the other UK countries from National standards and guidance.