The Challenge
Diabetes is a primary concern for the NHS because it’s common, seriously impacts health, and often leads to other illnesses, leading to increased use of healthcare resources. To reduce the risk and manage diabetes, lifestyle changes and personal health management are essential.
Diabetics typically require twice as many GP visits and have three times as many hospital admissions as non-diabetics
The Innovations
CARE has supported 58 projects aimed at:
- Activating Patients: Over 70% of diabetes projects took a multidisciplinary approach to supporting patients in self-management and to facilitating lifestyle changes.
- Addressing Inequality: Approximately 25% of projects strove to bridge health inequities by connecting underserved populations with healthcare and community resources.
- Digital Engagement: A significant number of projects utilised text nudges, digital tools, and virtual group consultations to provide support more efficiently.
- Clinical Care Protocols: Several initiatives focused on developing standardised care protocols and optimising medication for diabetes management.
of CARE projects are expected to reduce NHS demand by improving patient activation and health.
The Impact
- Jenny’s Text Nudges: Text support reduced diabetic HbA1c by 9 mmol/mol between reviews.
- Aysha’s Group Support: Virtual care and goal-setting cut HbA1c by 28% and BMI by 4%.
- Fanni’s Telephone Outreach: Calls to disengaged patients reduced GP contacts by 7 annually, improving HbA1c and BMI.
