General Practice Leaders Forum
Position Statement on the proposed Diabetes
Care Improvement Package
March 2012
Position statement on the proposed Diabetes Care Improvement Package
1
BACKGROUND
The Diabetes Get Checked programme has been provided for the past 11 years at no cost to our patients in
primary health care living with diabetes. The Ministry of Health has invested approximately 8 million dollars
annually into this activity which is largely delivered by General Practice Teams.
A recent programme evaluation by Kenealy et al, (2011) indicated outcomes have been less than optimal and
the resultant redistribution of funds will now resource the Diabetes Care Improvement Package.
District Health Boards (DHBs) have been tasked to use the funding currently allocated to the Get Checked
programme to provide the Diabetes Care Improvement Package planned in consultation with primary care.
2
THE GENERAL PRACTICE LEADERS FORUM (GPLF)
GPLF meets regularly to collectively advance quality general practice teams by building relationships and
understanding amongst the respective member organisations:
3

General Practice New Zealand (GPNZ):

Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP)

New Zealand College of Primary Health Care Nurses, New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZCPHCN,
NZNO)

New Zealand Rural General Practice Network (NZRGPN)

Practice Managers and Administrators Association of New Zealand (PMAANZ)

New Zealand Medical Association General Practitioner Council (NZMA GPC)
POSITION STATEMENT RATIONALE
GPLF considers that a comprehensive and quality approach to all long term conditions such as diabetes
requires social care and management that must consider the needs of the individual client and the
communities we work with.
General practice teams have an established relationship with those living with diabetes. This means that a
skilled and capable service is most appropriately delivered by this generalist service within the context of an
integrative approach.
Implementation practicalities need to note practice variation, the capacity and capability of General Practice
Teams, Treaty of Waitangi responsibilities, collaborative models of care and a wrap-around approach to a
service which aims to meet the many complexities of diabetes care and management.
4
RECOMMENDATIONS

General practice teams lead the Diabetes Care Package Programme, incorporating the integration of
specialist diabetes services into the package in response to community or individual need.

General Practice Teams are supported to achieve the competency, capacity and capability to deliver this
service.

Implementation is consistent across the sector

Investment in workforce growth, education and training for all providers is based on the National
Diabetes Nursing Knowledge and Skills framework, (Mid Central Health Board, 2009).

Future programmes should encompass culturally appropriate wrap around services that enable home
visits, marae and church based programme implementation, and community worker involvement, such
as whanau ora initiatives.
document1
Page 2 of 3
5

Primary health care nurses, including nurse practitioners, should be enabled (through appropriate
education and funding) to practice at the full extent of their scope of practice, and may take a lead role
in provision of care to people with diabetes across the sector, as part of the General Practice Team
services.

Future programmes should ensure sufficient funding is included to ensure initial, ongoing and consistent
education of practitioners.

Future programmes incorporate locality diabetes team input and engagement
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Please contact any of the organisations listed below:
6
General Practice NZ
www.gpnz.org.nz
Royal NZ College of General
Practitioners
www.rnzcgp.org.nz
NZ College of Primary Health Care
Nurses, NZ Nurses Organisation
www.nzno.org.nz/groups/colleges/college_of_primary_health_care_
nurses
NZ Rural General Practice Network
www.rgpn.org.nz
Practice Managers and
Administrators Association of NZ
www.pmaanz.org.nz
NZ Medical Association GP Council
www.nzma.org.nz/general-practitioners-council
REFERENCES:

Mid Central Health Board. (2009). National diabetes knowledge and skills framework. Palmerston North:
Mid Central Health Board.

Kenealy T, Orr-Walker R, Cutfield R, Robinson E, Simmons D. (2011). Does a diabetes annual review
make a difference? Diabetic Medicine, 29, 1-6.
document1
Page 3 of 3