Diabetes-related complications are a result of the damaging effects of hyperglycaemia that can be divided into macrovascular complications (coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, and stroke) and microvascular complications (diabetic nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy) (Fowler 2008).
Care planning is defined as a process that actively involves people in deciding, agreeing and sharing responsibility for how to manage their diabetes. It aims to help people with diabetes achieve optimal health by partnering with health care professionals to learn about, manage, and cope with diabetes and its related conditions in their daily lives.
Care planning is underpinned by the principles of patient-centredness and partnership. It is an ongoing process of communication, negotiation and joint decision-making in which both the person with diabetes and the health care professional(s) make an equal contribution to the consultation (Joint Department of Health and Diabetes UK Care Planning Working Group, 2006).
