According to NICE recommendations, hospital services should have an adequate training programme and a process for monitoring the knowledge and skills of the workforce. ‘Skills for Health – competencies for diabetes’ is a framework that practitioners can be assessed against. The assessment should include appropriate competencies in diabetes-related devices, such as blood glucose monitoring meters, insulin pens and pumps (NHS 2011).
Assessment tools
Structure
Evidence of local arrangements ensuring all inpatients with diabetes are cared for by appropriately trained staff, provided access to an expert diabetes team, given the choice to self-monitor, and manage their own insulin (NICE 2011)
Process
(a) The proportion of staff on inpatient wards who are appropriately trained to care for people with diabetes.
Numerator
The number of staff in the denominator appropriately trained in the care of people with diabetes
Denominator
The number of staff on inpatient wards
Outcome
Reduction in incidents relating to insulin causing harm.
(b) The proportion of inpatients with diabetes who are provided with access to a specialist diabetes team
Numerator
The number of inpatients in the denominator provided with access to a specialist diabetes team
Denominator
The number of inpatients with diabetes
Outcome
Inpatient length of stay for people with diabetes is similar to people without diabetes.
(c) The proportion of inpatients with diabetes on insulin therapy who are given the choice of self-monitoring and managing their own insulin
Numerator
The number of inpatients in the denominator given the choice of self-monitoring and managing their own insulin
Denominator
The number of inpatients with diabetes on insulin therapy
Outcome
Increase in patient satisfaction with their care in hospital.
