Diabetes: gestational diabetes annual HbA1c test
Indicator
The percentage of women who have had gestational diabetes, diagnosed more than 12 months ago, who have had an HbA1c test in the preceding 12 months.
Indicator type
General practice indicator suitable for use in the Quality and Outcomes Framework.
This document does not represent formal NICE guidance. For a full list of NICE indicators, see our menu of indicators
To find out how to use indicators and how we develop them, see our NICE indicator process guide
Rationale
The aim of this indicator is to improve the ongoing monitoring of women with a history of gestational diabetes and to ensure that those who go on to develop type 2 diabetes are identified at an early stage and offered appropriate treatment.
Women with a history of gestational diabetes are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even when glucose levels have returned to normal limits during the initial post-natal period. Current evidence suggests that the rates of follow-up in the form of annual HbA1c testing in this group are low, with the potential for care to be improved (McGovern et al. 2014).
Source guidance
Diabetes in pregnancy: management from preconception to the postnatal period. NICE guideline NG3 (2015, updated 2020), recommendation 1.6.14
Specification
Numerator: The number of patients in the denominator in who have had an HbA1c test in the preceding 12 months.
Denominator: Women who have had gestational diabetes.
Calculation: Numerator divided by the denominator, multiplied by 100.
Exclusions: Women diagnosed more than 12 months ago.
Minimum population: The indicator would be appropriate to assess performance at individual general practice level.
ISBN: 978-1-4731-6019-4