The effect of diabetes management on the workload of district and community nursing teams in the UK
Authors' conclusion
Diabetes management forms an increasing component of district nursing workload and is likely to be unsustainable unless new models are found.
Study context
- Population
- District nursing teams in the UK
- Participants
- 159 district nursing teams
- Outcome
- Current diabetes workload of district nursing teams
Methodological detailsonline survey, descriptive statistical and qualitative analyses
- Online survey
- Descriptive statistical and qualitative analyses
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Diabetes workload of district nursing teams
- Median caseload per team (patients)
- 300 (IQR 176-407)
- Patients with diabetes per team
- 21 (IQR 14-40; 8.7% (4-20%))
- Home visits per day per person with diabetes
- 1.09
- Visit duration, excluding travel time (minutes)
- 13.8
- Teams undertaking multiple daily visits for some patients
- 96%
- Reported diabetes workloads increased over the last 2 years
- 91%
- Stated current diabetes workloads unsustainable
- 76%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Drivers of increased diabetes workload and possible solutions
- More insulin usage, more referrals and a lack of ability or willingness to self-administer insulin increased the workload
- Possible solutions: better collaboration between healthcare professionals, simplified insulin administration and glucose monitoring, better training and upskilling of healthcare assistants, promotion of self-efficacy
Original publication
The effect of diabetes management on the workload of district and community nursing teams in the UK. Diabet Med. Published 27 May 2024. doi:10.
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