National paediatric diabetes audit feasibility study report

Ireland has a high incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), a chronic condition that places huge demands on affected individuals, their families, and the health service. Continuous and integrated multidisciplinary patient support is required to empower patients and caregivers to maximise self-management skills in order to achieve optimal diabetes control, which has been definitively shown to reduce the risk of acute and long-term diabetes-related complications. Paediatric T1DM care requires prioritisation because of its high incidence and the significant long-term sequelae of suboptimal care. No national paediatric diabetes audit (NPDA) exists in Ireland, and available data originate from single-centre, stand-alone, or retrospective studies. The lack of reliable data precludes healthcare professionals from making informed decisions about how to improve services, and means that disparities in paediatric diabetes care are neither identified nor prospectively addressed. A national audit of paediatric T1DM will highlight areas of good practice, identify deficits, and promote improvement in the quality of care delivery and data-driven resource allocation. The need for an NPDA was specifically emphasised in the Model of Care for All Children and Young People with Type 1 Diabetes.