Diabetes in the NHS: Commissioning and providing specialist services

Diabetes has come a long way since the publication of the National Service Framework (NSF). Self management is now recognised as the key to improved health outcomes, but people with diabetes also need the active support of organised, proactive and expert health, community and social services.

This small booklet aims to address this issue by providing details of the improved pathways that can be designed for people with diabetes, the governance issues that can be addressed by PCTs and the money the can be saved by acute trusts and commissioners, if the expertise of consultant diabetologists and the teams they work with is used to the full.

(Published September 2007, 26 pages)

Commissioning for Patient Pathways

This practical guide will support commissioning managers by creating a structured approach to commissioning planned care pathways that will meet 18 weeks and build towards a sustainable pathway-based commissioning approach.

(Published September 2007, 54 pages)

Practice Based Commissioning & Patient & Public Involvement: The New Frontier

PBC offers an opportunity for GP practices, Primary Care Trusts and local people to work together developing more appropriate pathway-based care and more efficient services. The report 'Practice Based Commissioning & Patient & Public Involvement: The New Frontier' explores this area.

However despite a general feeling that users should be involved, views of local communities are rarely taken on board with PBC.

Surveys carried out by NHS Alliance and Developing Patient Pathways suggest that some practices a experiencing barriers to involving patients in the early phases of PBC, despite adequate mechanisms.

(Published July 2007, 26 pages)