A process evaluation of the enhanced diabetes care service in primary care in Leicestershire
Why the research is needed
The care of people with diabetes, heart diseases, kidney disease and their risk factors care can often be disjointed, with little communication between general practitioners and hospitals. As well as a greater cost to the healthcare service, this poor communication has led to worse patient care and experience, due to limited consistency in care, difficulties accessing care, and patient needs not being met.
What is already known about the subject
A new model for diabetes healthcare was developed 10 years ago which aimed to improve co-ordination of these diabetes care services and shift services from hospitals to general practitioners. This new service was delivered by practices around Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland, and despite the success of the model, there were some challenges which led to differences in care. First, not all practices in the region used the model, second the healthcare staff were unable to manage the high workload, and third people with diabetes do not just have diabetes alone, but usually other conditions such as heart disease or depression. As such, the service was redesigned to address health inequalities and encourage staff from across the primary care network (PCN) to provide care for patients. Therefore, this research aims to determine if this new enhanced diabetes care model improves outcomes for patients, staff, and general practices across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland (LLR).
Who we will be working with
We will be working with general practices in LLR who are using the new diabetes care model, the healthcare staff who are delivering parts of the model, and the people living with diabetes.
What we will do
We will interview healthcare staff and patients and develop surveys to identify which elements of the care model are being used and by whom, what strategies are employed to deliver the service and the things which help or hinder how this new diabetes care is put into practice.
How patients and the public are involved
The study was developed by researchers, general practitioners from Leicestershire practices, and with guidance from patients from Diabetes UK and the South Asian Health Foundation. For the study we will be asking patients about their experiences of diabetes healthcare, and we will develop a group of public advisors to work with the project team, to advise on areas of the project such as interview questions and promoting the findings.
What the benefits will be
The study will increase the understanding of how the new diabetes care model is being implemented in LLR. Findings will be presented back to the public and healthcare workers and group meetings will be used to develop recommendations for how the diabetes service should operate in future. This information will be used to improve the model and it could also identify strategies that may help overcome the challenges of delivering the service successfully.
When the findings will be available
The findings will be available in August 2024.
How we are planning for implementation
We aim to present the outcomes at the Leicestershire primary care board meeting. We will also develop an infographic for all practices across Leicestershire and Rutland, which will be available to the public.
Contact
Professor Samuel Seidu, sis11@leicester.ac.uk.