UK approaches to integrated diabetes care: Derby-A joint venture model under the NHS

Abstract

The Derby approach responded to the limitations of the traditional hospital centred model of diabetes care to provide excellent integrated diabetes services for the 15,000 people with diabetes in Derby City, using a model centred around the user rather than location. It was the first service in the UK to achieve integration at organisational, clinical, financial and informational technological level as well as being supported by a single Clinical Governance structure. This chapter examines these “pillars” of integration in detail as well as demonstrating improvements in all six domains of quality improvement; effectiveness, efficiency, timeliness, equity, safety as well as delivering a person centred service. In addition to these improvements in quality, cost savings of over £800,000 were achieved in the first year.