Current inpatient diabetes staffing is much lower than needed in most hospital Trusts, latest evidence indicates.
In response to the shortage, the Joint British Diabetes Societies (JBDS) for Inpatient Care Group has produced a new Excel calculator to estimate staffing needs of any hospital site.
During the study, the JBDS surveyed specialist inpatient diabetes teams in the UK for current staffing and the perception of optimal staffing using mailing lists available through their representative organisations.
A total of 17 Trusts covering 30 hospital sites responded to the survey, the results have revealed.
The study states: “Current diabetes specialist staffing level per 100 people with diabetes in hospital (Median, IQR) for consultants was 0.24 (0.22–0.37), diabetes inpatient specialist nurses was 1.94 (1.22–2.6), dieticians was 0.00 (0.00–0.00), podiatrists was 0.19 (0.00–0.62), pharmacists was 0.00 (0.00–0.37), psychologists was 0.00 (0.00–0.00).
“The teams also reported that for optimal care the total staff needed for each group (Median, IQR) was much higher; consultants 0.65 (0.50–0.88), specialist nurses 3.38 (2.78–4.59), dieticians 0.48 (0.33–0.72), podiatrists, 0.93 (0.65–1.24), pharmacists, 0.65 (0.40–0.79) and psychologists 0.33 (0.27–0.58).”
The study is now available here.
