Diabetes: annual psychological assessment (children T2DM)

Indicator type

Network / system level indicator. The indicator would be appropriate to understand and report on the performance of networks or systems of providers.

Rationale

Children and young people with diabetes are at high risk of anxiety and depression. Psychological issues (such as anxiety, depression, behavioural problems, eating disorders, conduct disorders and family conflict) and psychosocial issues have a significant and adverse impact on the management of diabetes, and on the general wellbeing of children and young people and their family members or carers. This indicator aims to ensure that psychological needs are assessed annually to identify if any psychological interventions are required.

Source guidance

Diabetes (type 1 and type 2) in children and young people: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline NG18 (2015, updated 2023), recommendations 1.3.64, 1.3.66, 1.3.67 and 1.3.68

Specification

Numerator: The number of people in the denominator who had a psychological assessment in the previous 12 months.

Denominator: The number of children and young people aged under 18 years with type 2 diabetes.

Calculation: Numerator divided by the denominator, multiplied by 100.

Exclusions: None.

Personalised care adjustments or exception reporting should be considered to account for situations where the patient declines, does not attend or if psychological assessment is not appropriate.

Data source: National Paediatrics Diabetes Audit.

Expected population size: The National Diabetes Audit Young People with Type 2 Diabetes Dashboard 2022 to 2023 shows that 0.004% of people in England are aged under 18 years with type 2 diabetes: 0.4 per 10,000 patients served by a network. There is no minimum number of patients required for network level indicators. However, consideration should be given to whether the majority of results would require suppression because of small numbers.

ISBN: 978-1-4731-6965-4