More training needed for delivering insulin

Less than three quarters of healthcare providers currently providing insulin training to staff.

Recommendations made for improving hospital care for people living with diabetes following national review of inpatient service providers.

The findings of the latest National Diabetes Inpatient Safety Audit (NDISA) has revealed that less than three quarters (72%) of healthcare providers are currently providing insulin training to staff.  

In addition, it was reported that only 27% of inpatient care providers have a system to identify people with diabetes on admission.

The audit is a national review of the inpatient service provision in England and Wales against the 2020 GIRFT (Getting It Right First Time) recommendations.

The findings were presented by Dr Alistair Lumb, Consultant in Diabetes, at the recent Diabetes UK Professional Conference.

The NDISA has published four recommendations to improve hospital care for people living with the condition, including:

• All NHS Trusts in England and Local Health Boards in Wales should participate in NDISA data collection.
• Healthcare providers should have a multidisciplinary diabetes inpatient team and be working towards providing base-level diabetes cover at weekends.
• Healthcare providers should have networked blood glucose meters to alert staff when recorded glucose levels are out-of-range.
• All participating organisations should have a policy to support diabetes self-management in hospital.

The Department of Health and Social Care directed NHS Digital to carry out the audit in response to concern over the increase in prevalence of diabetes in the population and the associated long-term health implications.

The audit records the details of any adult who has one of four avoidable diabetes-related complications whilst being an inpatient.

Read more about the National Diabetes Inpatient Safety Audit