This dataset presents the percentage of people with type 1 diabetes who received all nine recommended care processes within the audit period. Structured diabetes care, delivered through a defined set of annual checks and tests, is central to preventing the serious long-term complications associated with diabetes, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, and sight loss. Monitoring the completeness of care process delivery at a local level provides an important indicator of the quality and consistency of diabetes management in primary and community care settings.
Rationale
People with type 1 diabetes require lifelong management and regular clinical review to minimise the risk of complications. Receipt of all nine care processes is associated with better clinical outcomes and is a recognised marker of high-quality diabetes care. Significant variation exists across GP practices and localities in the proportion of patients receiving complete care, often reflecting differences in practice capacity, patient engagement, and the organisation of local diabetes services. Tracking this indicator supports commissioners and providers in identifying where care pathways may need strengthening and where quality improvement efforts should be focused.
Numerator
The numerator is the number of people with type 1 diabetes who received all nine care processes within the audit period, among practices participating in the National Diabetes Audit. The nine care processes are:
- Body mass index (BMI) measurement
- Blood pressure check
- Smoking status recorded
- Blood glucose test (HbA1c)
- Cholesterol measurement
- Urine albumin test
- Serum creatinine test
- Foot nerve and circulation examination
- Retinal screening
Denominator
The denominator is the number of people registered with type 1 diabetes among practices that participate in the National Diabetes Audit, sourced from the National Diabetes Audit (NDA) via NHS England.
Caveats
Users should be aware of several important considerations when interpreting this indicator. National Diabetes Audit data is collected over a 15-month period, running from 1st January in the first year to 31st March in the second year, which spans the financial year reporting period. A number of people with diabetes are excluded from the audit if they are not registered with a GP practice at the time of data collection, which may mean that some of the most vulnerable or less engaged patients are not captured in the figures. Additionally, only practices participating in the National Diabetes Audit contribute data, so coverage may not be universal across all local practices.
External References
Data is sourced from the National Diabetes Audit (NDA), NHS England. The nine care processes align with NICE quality standards for diabetes care:
Click here to explore more from the Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Partnerships Outcome Framework.