Cardiovascular disease is the second largest cause of death and disability in England. Much has been achieved over the last decade in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, however, there is still more to be done not only to improve mortality rates but also to improve the quality of life for those living with the disease. The South West Cardiovascular Clinical Network includes cardiac, stroke, renal and diabetes care within its remit.
In line with the Five Year Forward View (5YFV), NHS Planning Guidance and the Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) the network will support the national priorities for 2016/17 as outlined below:
Tackling Obesity and Preventing Diabetes
Reduction in the projected growth in incidence of diabetes
- To support the implementation of the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP)
Support more people to manage their own care effectively
- An additional 10% of newly diagnosed people with diabetes to attend structured education per year to 2021
- To pilot a community pharmacy-led patient activation and medicines compliance service for patients with Type 2 Diabetes to reduce further complications through improved self-management
Improve treatment and care received
- To improve in diabetic patients the achievement of the three NICE-recommended treatment targets (HbA1c, cholesterol and blood pressure) for adults and one (HbA1c) for children with diabetes in line with the current median performance of 40%
- To improve access to multi-disciplinary diabetic foot teams and to reduce the number of lower limb amputations in high risk diabetic patients
- To improve access to specialist diabetes teams for inpatients
- Increase direct referral from the ambulance to community diabetes service-i.e. diabetic specialist nurses
- To increase GP participation in the National Diabetes Audit (NDA)
