The ongoing work of Diabetes Australia

Our mission at Diabetes Australia is to minimize the impact of diabetes through prevention, ensuring that people living with all types of diabetes have access to the support they need for optimum care. Our work is supported by the generously funded National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS), an initiative of the Australian Government, which Diabetes Australia has been administering for 30 years.

Currently around 1.3 million Australians, including all types of diabetes, are registered on the NDSS and provided with access to products, information, education and support to help them self-manage diabetes. Although it is a voluntary register, over 280 newly diagnosed people are registered every day.

Our State and Territory member associations deliver NDSS and other programs at a local level and have extensive community based programmes.

Prior to the Federal election in 2013, Diabetes Australia presented a policy paper A National Diabetes Strategy Action Plan – Federal Election 2013 to members of the then Government and the Opposition seeking assurances that, if elected, they would establish a national strategy addressing diabetes prevention and treatment. . This policy was supported by both major parties and following the 2013 election, the government established a National Diabetes Strategy Advisory Group (NDSAG), which has resulted in a national Implementation Plan – Focus on the Future.

The Federal Health Minister, the Hon. Greg Hunt MP, is very committed to the National Diabetes Strategy, and has now appointed an Implementation Reference Group (IRG). Leading diabetologist, Professor Zimmet AO and I are co-chairs.
Diabetes Australia advocates on a range of diabetes issues. For example, we are currently raising awareness of gestational diabetes, which now affects around 38,000 Australian women every year. Poorly managed diabetes can pose a serious risk to mother and baby during pregnancy and potentially raise the risk of both mother and child developing type 2 diabetes or other health issues later in life.

Following an advocacy campaign with our partner organizations, the Australian Government agreed to invest over AU $50 million to subsidize Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM’s) and this year about 8,000 children and young adults have been able to access free CGM. Diabetes Australia is currently working with Government to provide a similar subsidy to women with Type 1 Diabetes during pregnancy. There is strong evidence to link CGM to better health outcomes.

Along with our Member Associations, we have a robust media and social media presence to ensure that the public and the government decision makers are aware of the risks of diabetes going undiagnosed or less than optimally treated and for national policies that promote improved health outcomes.

Parliamentarians play a significant role in government policy and this year some of the policies we will focus on include:

• Early diagnosis and early treatment. We will host a blood-glucose testing day in Parliament House to highlight the need for early detection
• Get Your Socks Off campaign in Parliament House to raise awareness of the importance of foot-care in preventing the 4,400 amputations annually in Australia, due to diabetes complications.
• A health levy on sugary drinks. A campaign by a coalition of heath organizations including Diabetes Australia. There is growing popular support for this policy, as long as the proceeds are invested in preventive health programs.

There have been great advances in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes since Frederick Banting (and others) discovered insulin and I remain optimistic that a cure can be found, hopefully in my lifetime. In recognition of the impact diabetes has on people around the globe, Diabetes Australia works hard to fund and promote many important research projects.”

Diabetes Australia is the major advocacy group for people with diabetes in Australia. In 2017, the organization celebrated its 60th anniversary. It is a federated organization of Member States and Territories and diabetes health professional organizations.