If treated suboptimally, type 2 diabetes can have devastating long-term complications, including cardiovascular disease, renal disease and blindness; however, such complications can be prevented with early effective diabetes engagement and management. A crucial part of diabetes care is the clinical review, which ideally each person with type 2 diabetes should undergo at least annually. Often this annual review is undertaken by more generalist rather than diabetes specialist healthcare professionals.
This article is a guide to the basics that healthcare professionals should be aware of to effectively review a person with type 2 diabetes, related to the 15 healthcare essentials advocated by Diabetes UK. First published in 2019, the article has undergone an update at the end of 2020 to keep pace with recent guidance and resource publications, and to reflect changes in working practices in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Useful resources for both healthcare professionals and individuals with type 2 diabetes are signposted throughout the article to facilitate enhanced learning.
