Why should you commission structured patient education for adults with type 1 diabetes?

Department of Health. Improving the quality of care for patients with type 1 diabetes: dose adjustment for normal eating (DAFNE) 2013. Available on the NICE website at https://www.nice.org.uk/savingsandproductivity andlocalpracticeresource?ci=http%3a%2f%2farms.evidence.nhs.uk%2fresources%2fQIPP%2f899091%3fniceorg%3dtrue (last accessed 21 Feb 2016).

DAFNE Study Group. Training in flexible, intensive insulin management to enable dietary freedom in people with type 1 diabetes: dose adjustment for normal eating (DAFNE) randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2002; 325:746–52. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC128375/pdf/746.pdf

Hopkins D, Lawrence I, Mansell P, et al. Improved biomedical and psychological outcomes 1 year after structured education in flexible insulin therapy for people with type 1 diabetes: the U.K. DAFNE experience. Diabetes Care 2012;35:1638–42. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3402270/pdf/1638.pdf

Elliott J, Jacques RM, Kruger J, et al. Substantial reductions in the number of diabetic ketoacidosis and severe hypoglycaemia episodes requiring emergency treatment lead to reduced costs after structured education in adults with type 1 diabetes. Diabet Med 2014;31:847–53. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dme.12441/epdf

Ray T, Choudhary P, Mansell P, et al. Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating (DAFNE) structured education reduces progression to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) among patients being considered for insulin pump therapy at enrolment. Diabet Med 2013;30(Suppl.1):7.