Why diabetes education isn’t one-size-fits-all

Structured diabetes education programmes are key to empowering people with diabetes to take control of their condition, and reduce the risk of developing complications, which is why they should be 'fit-for-purpose' to help educate the growing number of people diagnosed with T2D. 

Structured diabetes education works. Evidence increasingly shows that timely, relevant and accessible educational programmes can play a significant role in helping type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients manage their condition more effectively. 

When education is delivered well, everybody wins; patients report a better quality of life, health outcomes improve and healthcare costs reduce. Not all programmes measure the health outcomes, but where they do, some achieve relative reductions in a person’s HbA1c of over 10% in 6 months, alongside weight loss and lifestyle improvement. It’s this kind of sustained behaviour change that NHS organisations need to achieve if they’re to move the dial of diabetes care. To get there, however, many CCGs may need to rethink their diabetes education strategies to offer greater choice, extending delivery beyond a common reliance on a single provider.