NADC's Top 10 Achievements
for 2019
1. Launch of the Models of Care – Type 2 diabetes
The aim of the Diabetes Models of Care (MoC) project is to create a practical toolkit of examples of various models of care that may assist health practitioners across Australia review and consider revisions of their own current MoC for managing people with type 2 diabetes.
The target audience of health professionals includes general practitioners, endocrinologists, diabetes educators, health services managers and other multidisciplinary practitioners across the spectrum of health-care.
There are many MoC being used within diabetes services across Australia. Many of these models promote the importance of integrated care across health professional disciplines and have been successfully implemented into practice.
However, more needs to be done to improve integrated and collaborative care nationally. One such area that needs improving is the collection of outcome measures that could lead to the identification of which primary care attributes support high quality care for people with diabetes. This toolkit focuses on MoC for the management of type 2 diabetes, concentrating on integrated care from primary to specialist care, and includes models that target diabetes complications, screening and management. The models illustrated in this document are not a complete list and have been included as examples only. It is anticipated that any MoC can be adapted to the local population and workplace.
This toolkit is designed to be a ‘living document’ and will be added to, edited and revised over time. As such, the document will only be up to date at the time of access or download. Revised versions of this publication will be announced through NADC, ADS and NDSS online resources and available on their respective websites: NADC, ADS and NDSS.
2. Development of the Diabetes Technology Standards and Accreditation package
The objective of the NADC accreditation is to assist diabetes services to review, reflect and achieve a safe and high quality service providing care to people using diabetes technology. The NADC technology accreditation for diabetes services is the only accreditation of its kind to offer comprehensive diabetes-specific technology accreditation aimed at the improvement of quality and safety.
The NADC technology standards aims to set a benchmark for service delivered by diabetes care centres across Australia.
Applicability of the NADC Standards for Diabetes Service.
Many NADC services are already accredited in their affiliation with a larger hospital, community health service or General Practice. We have tried to create deliberate synergies and overlap with existing accreditation systems such as the RACGP Standards for General Practice 5th edition and the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards 2nd edition to avoid duplication of effort in the accreditation process. It is expected that achievement of NADC Technology Standards will support other applications of accreditation across the health sector.
Continuous quality improvement approach
Quality Improvement is central to all NADC accreditation standards as it is integral for ensuring improved consumer health outcomes through reflective practice, evidence-based care, and best practice clinical care. There are many components to quality improvement including physical structure and process of an organisation, through to governance, leadership, education and training, and clinical care.
Participation in the Australian National Diabetes Audit (ANDA) is encouraged as part of a service’s quality improvement practice. Further information on ANDA audits and registering for ANDA can be found here.
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3. Development of the NADC HRFS Minimum Data Set
Standardising data collection across High Risk Foot Services (HRFS) nationally will open unprecedented opportunity for audit, benchmarking and collaborative research. Several services have identified challenges in meeting Standard 8 (Quality Improvement) of the NADC Collaborative Interdisciplinary Diabetes HRFS Standards.
The originally proposed minimum dataset has been scrutinised and developed into a user-friendly, accessible and free data collection tool by use of REDCapTM. With uptake of this tool across Australia we will be creating a database of international standing. Further, services will have the means to evaluate service efficacy and resource allocation, and to direct service improvement.
4. Awarding 4 Diabetes Centres of Excellence in 2019
The NADC Accreditation standards have been developed to establish a robust national standard for Diabetes Centres that demonstrate that they operate as Centres of Excellence (COE) in diabetes care.
These standards are underpinned by the principles of chronic disease management. These include a multidisciplinary approach with an effective system of service delivery, integration and coordination of care between different services and service providers, support for self-management, evidence-based decision making and clinical information systems, with the focus being on proactive maintenance of good health and complication prevention. Diabetes Centres of Excellence also actively bridge the gap between the acute care hospital system and the care provided by primary care and community services.
2019 Diabetes Centre of Excellence Awardees
- ACT Health Diabetes Service
- Perth Children’s Hospital
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
- St Vincent’s Diabetes Centre, Sydney
5. Awarding of 3 Interdisciplinary Diabetes High Risk Foot Service Centres of Excellence
The NADC Collaborative accreditation for Interdisciplinary Diabetes High Risk Foot Services is the only national accreditation of its kind, aimed at the improvement of quality and safety within Interdisciplinary Diabetes HRFS. The accreditation model is focused on a three-pronged approach combining governance, clinical and quality criteria.
The NADC Collaborative Interdisciplinary Diabetes HRFS accreditation also aims to define and harmonise the standard of service delivered by Interdisciplinary Diabetes HRFS across Australia in an effort to meet key goals under the National Diabetes Strategy 2016-2020, namely, practices and procedures resulting in improved care, improved quality of life among people with diabetes, and a reduction in the prevalence of diabetes-related complications.
In 2019 we awarded 3 Interdisciplinary Diabetes HRFS as Centres of Excellence and 8 services with core standards
High Risk Foot Service Centres of Excellence 2019
- Fiona Stanley Hospital – Perth
- Royal Melbourne Hospital
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
And…the awarding of 8 Interdisciplinary Diabetes High Risk Foot Services…
NADC awarded 8 High Risk Foot Services across the country in 2019:
- Western Health Diabetes Foot Service
- Royal Perth Hospital Multidisciplinary Foot Ulcer Clinic
- Cairns Hospital High Risk Foot Service
- Mater High Risk Foot Service
- Fiona Stanley Hospital Multidisciplinary Diabetic Foot Unit
- Lyell McEwin Hospital Interdisciplinary High Risk Foot Clinic
- Central Adelaide Local Health Network Multidisciplinary Foot Clinic
- Flinders Medical Centre High Risk Foot Service
6. Collaboration in ‘Foot Forward’ – national amputation prevention project
The Foot Forward program promotes early self-identification of foot problems for people with diabetes.
Its aim is two-fold: to prevent complications in people who have diabetes, and to promote earlier access to health professional services and High-Risk Foot Services (HRFS).
The bigger goal behind this is to support early identification, early referral, early and optimal treatment, and the prevention of diabetes-related foot problems and amputations.
This requires a two-pronged approach, targeting both people with diabetes and health care professionals, by drawing on evidence that shows the best health outcomes occur when people with diabetes are informed and empowered to self-manage their diabetes. The Foot Forward program is an ADS and Diabetes Australia collaborative on behalf of the National Diabetes Services Scheme and funded by the Federal Government. Further information and resources will be made available in 2020.
7. Two successful national conferences
Primary Care Diabetes Summit
Organised by the National Association of Diabetes Centres (NADC) and the Primary Care Diabetes Society of Australia (PCDSA), the one-day summit in July 2019 combined cutting edge scientific content with practical clinical sessions, basing the education on much more than just knowing ‘the guidelines’.
The summit program was such a huge success that it will be hosted again in 2020 at the Melbourne Convention Centre on Saturday 13th July.
3rd Annual Australasian Diabetes Advancements and Technologies Summit (ADATS)
ADATS 2019 saw over 300 healthcare professionals gather together to learn the latest in diabetes advancements and technologies in Melbourne. The event, now in its 3rd year, is the result of the commitment of the NADC to improve the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals in Australia in the area of diabetes and technology.
ADATS brings together prominent and influential key opinion leaders with a focus, expertise and passion for advanced technologies and therapeutics in diabetes. The full day conference is open to registrants nationally and internationally, and aimed at GP’s, primary care nurses, diabetes educators, endocrinologists and diabetes health professionals who are instrumental in leading their services towards advanced diabetes management practices.
NADC will be hosting ADATS again in 2020 at the Melbourne Convention Centre on October 23rd.
8. National Diabetes Care Course registrations over 300+
The National Diabetes Care Course has been developed by the National Association of Diabetes Centres (NADC) to provide healthcare providers in a range of general care settings with current knowledge of diabetes clinical management and self-care regulation.
The National Diabetes Care Course is an interactive online learning tool.
The course consists of ten modules including:
- Learning videos
- 24 hour a day access so you can complete the course at a time or place that suits you
- Online assessments
- Certificates on completion of each module
2019 saw over 300 registrations for the National Diabetes Care Course (NDCC).
9. Update of the NADC Website
Our NADC CEO, Natalie Wischer, created the first NADC website launched back in 2013. Although the content was kept up to date, the design was definitely in need of a refresh.
On World Diabetes Day 2019, the NADC IT and Web developer, Neil with the support of our admin and marketing assistant Lei and feedback from the rest of the team, finally unveiled the new site.
10. ANDA 2019 had 90 registrations
ANDA is an annual diabetes audit open to all services providing diabetes services across Australia, from primary to tertiary care centres. The NADC coordinates the Australian National Diabetes Audit (ANDA) survey every year.
It is a free quality improvement activity for all NADC members and provides the participating services with a comprehensive individualised report on many aspects of their specific service and benchmarks against like-sized organisations.
There are 2 ANDA audits that alternate each year. The ANDA – AQSMA (Australian Quality Self-Management Audit) is more focused on self-management and diabetes distress and collects data related to diabetes education, self-care practices and quality of life.
The ANDA – AQCA (Australian Quality Clinical Audit) focuses on clinical indicators known to impact on the care of the person with diabetes
ANDA – AQCA was run in 2019 and had over 90 services participate. The 2019 ANDA report will be launched soon on the following webpage:
NADC and 2020…
NADC has a reputation of turning words into action so watch out 2020!
Stay connected with what we are doing and how you can get involved through all of our social media channels and newsletters.
Wishing all of our members a happy, healthy and successful 2020, we look forward to working with you all to improve the standard of diabetes care across Australia.
