Looking ahead: Network focus on peer review and quality improvement

This year has been particularly busy for the National Children and Young People’s   Diabetes (CYPD) Network. It has been largely dominated by the launch of the 3-year quality improvement and peer review programme that a significant number of units from across England and Wales have signed up to participate in. The network managers have been heavily involved in supporting both the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and their units in the initial promotion and delivery of the programme. 

A set of new peer review measures has been published as part of the programme. Each network and unit taking part has completed an online submission stating to what extent they have met each measure. Over the next 3 years, every unit and network involved will receive a visit from the RCPCH’s peer review team, which will give them an opportunity to showcase what is working particularly well and to consider what improvements are needed.

Quality improvement pilot
A series of national and regional quality improvement (QI) cycles is currently being rolled out following a successful pilot. Ten units from across the country took part in the pilot, which involved an entire team attending several days and two weekends of training events. During the process, each team focused on completing a specific QI project. The pilot was successful, and a series of national and regional QI cycles are currently being rolled out.

New technology
The funding and the management of continuous and Flash glucose monitoring systems has featured heavily on all our agendas. Several networks are discussing how to incorporate the increased use of technology in schools and have further developed their school care plans to accommodate advice about continuous and Flash glucose monitoring systems. 

Structured education
Structured education programmes (SEPs) continue to be developed. The East Midlands CYPD Network recently launched Deapp. This is a new SEP designed to deliver the full primary type 1 diabetes curriculum at diagnosis using an app. The Wales CYPD Network is investigating the efficacy and impact of the SEREN SEP through an evaluation. The results of this evaluation will be shared with the national network next summer.

Psychology conference
The first joint Wales and South West Network psychology conference was held earlier this month in Newport, Wales. The conference was attended by psychology representatives from nearly every network. The aim was to provide a platform for paediatric diabetes psychologists to share good practice and to discuss future support. It also enabled the South West CYPD Network psychologists to present their draft paediatric psychology standards. As a result of this, a reference group has been established to further develop the standards and there are plans for an annual psychology event.

Future plans
Projects for 2019 include an exciting collaboration between the North East and North Cumbria CYPD Network, the Learning Disability Network and Eye-Screening Programmes. Yorkshire and Humber CYPD Network will finalise some work being done to support families with managing exercise. In addition to this, the East of England CYPD Network is organising the Botswana Education Project, which involves taking 12 UK teenagers with type 1 diabetes to Gabarone during the Easter holiday to share their experiences with families from Botswana.