Minister for Health publishes Diabetes Policy and Services Review

The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, has launched The Diabetes Policy and Services Review: A Strategy for Better Care.

This is Ireland’s first national strategy for diabetes and sets out recommendations for action in relation to type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, diabetes in pregnancy, and paediatric diabetes.

Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, said:

The Government has committed to developing a new strategy for diabetes care in its Programme for Government, ‘Securing Ireland’s Future.’ The strategy marks a major milestone in diabetes care in Ireland, representing the development of a unified approach to the delivery of diabetes care.

HSE Chief Clinical Officer, Dr Colm Henry, said:

Diabetes Ireland, Professor Hilary Hoey, Chairperson, said:

The HSE will soon finalise an Implementation Framework to complement The Diabetes Policy and Services Review: A Strategy for Better Care and ensure consistent rollout of improvement in diabetes care across the regions.

Read The Diabetes Policy and Services Review: A Strategy for Better Care.

The development of a new strategy for diabetes care is a Programme for Government commitment. It also supports the Sláintecare vision for integrated, person‑centred care.

The recommendations cover four key themes:

Service Development – Recommendations for diabetes service development include actions to standardise practices in the delivery of diabetes care according to National and International guidelines.

Affordability and Access to care – Recommended actions to improve access to diabetes technology (such as CGM, Insulin pumps, and smart pens) based on clinical need. These recommendations relate to access to the technology itself, as well as access to trained diabetes staff to support the use of diabetes technology.

Better support for people living with diabetes – Recommendations related to improving support for young adults transitioning from paediatric to adult diabetes care, mental health support, support for women with diabetes in pregnancy and post-pregnancy, as well as diabetes self-management support.

Digital Healthcare – Recommendations relating to the use of digital technology to provide the delivery of diabetes care. This includes the establishment of a National Diabetes Registry, improvements of IT infrastructure and investment in digitalisation of diabetes health services.

Following publication of the report, the HSE will work to develop an implementation plan to ensure that the recommendations are followed through at national level and through the Health Regions.