Children and young people diabetes toolkit

Diabetes can have a significant impact on health outcomes and the lives of young people, and their families or carers and it is a leading cause of healthcare service usage.

Accurate and timely diagnosis, optimal treatment and care, self-management tools, and support for mental well-being are essential to ensure people with diabetes can live well and avoid complications. This supports improved population health, reduces unnecessary healthcare activity, and has important wider societal and economic benefits.

The RightCare Children and young people diabetes toolkit has been developed in partnership with the NHS England National Children and Young Adults (CYA) Diabetes programme, alongside representation from the National Children and Young Peoples Diabetes Clinical Network, NICE and Diabetes UK.

The toolkit covers the four areas of focus (AOFs) that have been identified by the CYA Diabetes programme, which are:

  1. addressing diabetes health inequalities in children and young adults, with a particular focus on equitable access on blood glucose monitoring technology
  2. reducing variation in treatment, care, and outcomes across health systems
  3. improving treatment and care for young adults, including people transitioning from paediatric to adult services
  4. improving treatment and care for children and young adults with Type 2 diabetes

The toolkit is designed to support integrated care systems to design, plan, and deliver high-quality treatment and care for children and young adults aged 0-25 years with all types of diabetes.

Dr Fulya Mehta, NHSE National Clinical Lead for Children and Young Adults Diabetes said:

“The RightCare toolkit will play a pivotal role in supporting the delivery of high-quality care for children and young people living with diabetes in England. Diabetes is a relentless condition that impacts on almost every aspect of life. Optimal treatment and care is essential to enable children and young people to live well, avoid serious complications and achieve their potential in life.”