The National Service Framework for diabetes covers the prevention, identification and management of diabetes, together with surveillance for and management of complications. This includes complications of the eyes, kidneys, feet etc., along with rehabilitation and continuing care. There is an annex specifically dealing with diabetic eye disease. The NSF for diabetes was released in two parts and the first part, entitled 'National Service Framework Standards for Diabetes Services', dealing with standards to improve the care of people with diabetes, was published on 14 December 2001. The Diabetes NSF Standards apply to England only. The final part of the Diabetes NSF - the Delivery Strategy - was published in 2003. It included the early milestones, service models, performance indicators and details of local implementation and national support for local action.
By 2006, a minimum of 80% of diabetics will have been offered screening for the early detection (and treatment if needed) of diabetic retinopathy as part of a systematic programme meeting national standards. The aim is to have 100% coverage by the end of 2007.
Click here for details of the National Service Framework for Diabetes.
Quality Assurance Numbers
An optometrist involved in the national screening programme must grade a minimum of 500 patient episodes, whether these are actual patients seen or just the stand-alone screening of images doesn't matter. This is designed to allow schemes more flexibility in the use they make of community optometrists.
www.nscretinopathy.org.uk - This is the link for the National Screening Committee of the NSF. Local delivery of screening services will be supported by the NSC programme and this site will provide information on this. Information on cameras, software, grading, costings etc can also be found here.
http://www.retinopathyscreening.co.uk/training.html - This is the direct link to find out details about education and training ifor participation in DRS
Please address any technical queries to support@nscretinopathy.org.uk
The website address for Diabetes UK is www.diabetes.org.uk
AOP advice on diabetic screening
The AOP has issued advice on diabetic screening. This is available in pdf format at the bottom of this page. Further information on diabetic screening, including miscellaneous articles, can also be viewed in 'Examining the diabetic patient under GOS' and 'Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Schemes' - see the menu to the left of the screen.
SCOTLAND
For information on diabetic screening in Scotland, click on www.nsd.scot.nhs.uk/services/drs
Do Once and Share (DOAS) Project – Diabetic Eye Disease
Details of this project can be found at the following address: www.doas-ded.org The programme enabled clinicians to share their experience once at a national level and contribute with colleagues to a best practice, national approach to care in their speciality, whether it be heart disease, stroke, breast cancer or diabetes. The DOAS programme was delivered by 42 action teams, each with a project focusing on a specialty or care process. They undertook national consultation, gathered evidence and took soundings to create their best practice model. Each action team made recommendations to the teams within NHS Connecting for Health, responsible for the design, development and implementation of the new solutions to ensure they supported the needs of each individual specialty. At the same time they also reviewed the specification for each new IT system and service in the light of current thinking and clinical practice in their particular field. These new standard approaches to care - which aimed to make optimum use of the new IT systems - were then shared across the NHS. More DOAS action teams (on cataract and glaucoma) were established during 2006 to build on previous work and address new priorities.
