The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7179 p873-877
22-29 December 2001

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First part of NSF for diabetes launched

The first part of the National Service Framework for Diabetes was published this week. It sets out 12 standards of care for people with diabetes. The delivery strategy, which will form the rest of the NSF, is expected to be published next summer.

Dr Sheila Adam, director of policy, Department of Health, said that the full strategy was not being imposed now because of the great pressure the National Health Service was currently under. She added that a lot of people are working towards improving standards in diabetes care and this would be encouraged by the publication of the NSF standards document. The standards document "gives people a clear direction of travel", she said.

The 12 NSF standards cover nine areas (see Panel). It also identifies key interventions and implications for planning services for each standard. Further information about the standards, and the NSF itself, are available on the diabetes NSF website. A diabetes NSF implementation group is being set up to steer the development of the delivery strategy.

Dr Gillian Hawksworth, chairman of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's diabetes task force, said that pharmacists have a role to play in diabetes care. "Community pharmacists, for example, come into contact with people who are at risk of developing the disease and those with undiagnosed diabetes. Pharmacists can also provide education and support to people with diagnosed disease and help to prevent long-term complications," she said.

Dr David Colin-Thomé, national clinical director for primary care, said there is potential for pharmacists to act as a point of contact for patients, to provide technical support and to lead review programmes.

Paul Streets, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said that patients had identified repeat prescriptions as a major problem. Pharmacists could have a role in this area, providing they were properly trained, he said. He also suggested that pharmacists could have a role in active screening for diabetes.

The NSF applies to England. Jane Hutt, minister for health and social services, National Assembly for Wales, said: "I welcome the publication of these standards which I intend to adopt for Wales." The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) published guidelines on diabetes recently (PJ, 24 November, p733).

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