APPG to discuss diabetes psychological support services

By Editor
1st March 2018
Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes

People with diabetes, their families and healthcare professionals are being asked to share their experiences to help improve access to current psychological support services.

The Diabetes All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) is holding a meeting on March 22 where academics, specialists, healthcare professionals and people with diabetes will discuss supporting evidence, challenges and opportunities about available services and how some areas may need to be improved.

A spokesperson said: “We want to better understand the importance of this service for diabetes self-management and what can be done to improve the support available. Your feedback will help the APPG to produce its report and make its recommendations about this issue.”

Being able to access appropriate psychological support is an integral part of self-management, and is a core service component in the NHS Right Care pathway for diabetes.

However, the APPG said more than three-quarters of people with diabetes are not offered emotional or psychological support when they need it. At least four in 10 people with diabetes experience emotional or psychological problems, such as depression, anxiety and diabetes distress. This can impact their ability and motivation to self-manage, leading to poorer health outcomes, reduced quality of life, and increased healthcare costs.

The group has compiled a series of evidence sheets with guiding questions for people with diabetes, their parents or carer and healthcare professionals.

The documents lay out the sort of questions the APPG want participants with diabetes to consider such as personal experience, the well-being of people with the condition and what type of support is available in their area.

The healthcare professionals must consider whether they believe there is enough support for the emotional and psychological needs of people with diabetes and those caring for them in their area and whether they think psychological support is a key component for achieving treatment targets.

Submissions should be emailed to Diabetes-APPG@outlook.com with the subject “APPG Written Evidence Submission – YOUR NAME/ORGANISATION”.

Comments (1)

  1. Hannan Shafique says:

    vtfghv

Register an account or login to comment