There are approximately 4.8 million people living with diabetes in the UK and this is expected to rise to 5.3 million by 2025. PRSB has published two standards that will help to ensure the right information flows between services and from medical devices and tools to the professionals that need it, to support better care and outcomes for people with diabetes.

PRSB were asked by NHS England to develop two information standards for sharing diabetes information between people and professionals across all care settings, including self-management data. The two standards they developed are:

• The Diabetes Information Record Standard
  This defines the information needed to support a person’s diabetes management. It includes information that could be recorded by health and care professionals or the person themselves that is relevant to the diabetes care of the person and should be shared between different care providers.
• The Diabetes Self-Management Standard
  This defines information that could be recorded by the person (or their carer) at home (either using digital apps or medical devices) and shared with health and care professionals.

The standards were developed with UK-wide consultation and engagement, including with a wide range of professionals, people and suppliers, to meet the needs of all four UK nations. Through consultation workshops and a survey, they agreed what information is essential to share to provide well-coordinated care.

Ojaih Willow was the person-lead for the project: “As someone with diabetes, I know how difficult it is to make sure the information that is collected through apps and devices at home is properly sent to the health and care team, in a way they can read and interpret. With standards in place, the consultant can look at the data in real time, analyse it and recommend adjustments to improve how diabetes is controlled. I was delighted to work with PRSB to support these future changes. I am confident that when widely implemented, these standards will help support more people with diabetes like me.”

The standard will also support health and care professionals to deliver high-quality care. PRSB Chair, Maureen Baker said: “Better information sharing in diabetes care allows professionals to have the information they need to provide high-quality care. Without standards in place, information is sporadic and unclear, making the professionals’ job harder to do and with longer delays. With PRSB’s standards in place, they can access this critical information for diabetes care wherever and whenever it is required.”

Professor Partha Kar, National Specialty Adviser on Diabetes at NHS England, said: “Improving management of diabetes is one of the most important aims in healthcare globally and healthtech has an enormous role to play in delivering better care. These new standards are fundamental to putting the right data in the hands of individuals and professionals. We envisage all industry colleagues taking on board what is needed for data sharing to help improve care.”