In a new scheme, launched by Diabetes UK, the NHS and private providers on 27 January, GPs are being encouraged to give personal, one-page action plans to their patients with diabetes who are not keeping the condition under control.
Through coordination with primary care IT systems, including EMIS Web, Vision and SystmOne, GPs will receive an alert if patients are not meeting their targets for blood pressure, HbA1c or cholesterol levels, advising that they could benefit from an “information prescription.” The simple A4 document, which can be printed off and taken away by the patients, will feature crucial information on how to better manage diabetes and an tailored action plan for improving their health.
Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said: “We have had an incredibly positive response from our pilot projects, both from healthcare professionals and people with diabetes, and so it is great that people across the UK will now get to benefit from it. Our ultimate goal is for people with diabetes to live as long and as healthy lives as possible, and information prescriptions will be an incredibly powerful tool to help them achieve this.”
For more information on the scheme, visit the Information Prescriptions Q&A page, or email [email protected].
