Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness and serious visual impairment in Ireland.  90% of people with diabetes will develop retinopathy, 10% will be sight threatening if undetected and not treated.  There are over 140,000 diabetics in Ireland approximately, hence approximately 15,000 will develop serious visual impairment if they are not identified and treated.

Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Service is provided through the National Screening Service. 30% of registered diabetics were invited for screening in 2013 with the remaining 70% to be invited in 2014.

Find more information on Diabetic Retina Screen

Foot care

Diabetic foot disease is one of the most common, feared, serious and costly complications of Diabetes. Patients with diabetes are at a 15 to 40 fold higher risk of a lower limb amputation than a non-diabetic patient. Eighty percent of lower limb amputations in diabetes are preceded by the development of a foot ulcer and it is estimated that the annual incidence of lower limb ulceration in patients with diabetes varies between 2.2% to 7.0%. Diabetic foot disease is costly, with patients frequently requiring admission to hospital, investigations, surgery and a prolonged hospital stay.

Model of Care for the Diabetic Foot

Booklet for people at LOW risk of developing foot problems HQP 28-11

Booklet for people at MID risk of developing foot problems HQP 28-11

Booklet for people at HIGH risk of developing foot problems HQP 28-11

Paediatric Diabetes

Model of care for the provision of insulin pump therapy to children under 5 years of age with type 1 diabetes

Model of care for all children and young people with type 1 diabetes

Integrated Care

The proposed Model of Care for People with Type 2 Diabetes espouses the concept of “Integrated Care”, where primary, secondary and tertiary care come together and communicates effectively and coherently to manage the person with Type 2 diabetes. Integration of services around the patient and across services becomes more robust and effective as joint ownership of the care and outcomes of people with diabetes become the focus of the service. The service can then develop to provide comprehensive care from screening and prevention of diabetes through to end of life care.

The benefits of a well integrated diabetes service as outlined in the Model of Care include:

• Improved patient experience
• Ensuring that all healthcare organisations involved in providing diabetes care, through partnership, clearly own the responsibility for delivering excellent care to their local population
• Provide clearly defined terms of accountability and responsibility for each health care professional /provider
• Reduce duplication of time, tests and information

Diabetes Education Courses for Type 2 diabetes

You can register for a structured education programme on type 2 diabetes