A randomised trial of a novel model of diabetes care for adults in the community through multidisciplinary collaboration and integration across the primary and tertiary interface

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Diabetes is a chronic disease where the primary care physician has a central role to play. Historically, evidence has supported the role of diabetes teams in hospital settings being able to provide better care compared with primary care but it has been argued whether this relates to improved systematic and organised care, compared to increased expert knowledge. With appropriate support and recall systems, delivery of diabetes care in general practice can be as good as hospital outpatient care. Recognising this, the United Kingdom has seen the introduction of diabetes clinics conducted by general practitioners with special interests (GPSIs) with demonstrated favourable improvements in HbA1c, cholesterol and blood pressure. To date, Australia has not adopted GPSIs into clinical practice. However, the Australian health care system is facing significant reform aimed at shifting the focus from tertiary and secondary hospital health care to primary health care, including the move towards GP superclinics. This research project focusses on the care of patients with complex T2DM who have been referred by their GPs for specialist diabetes care. This research is based on a novel concept which incorporates the principle of GPs with special interests around a multidisciplinary and coordinated approach to diabetes care in the community. Important to this model is the role of the specialist Endocrinologist in a consulting capacity to review and endorse the advanced skill GPs (GP Clinical Fellows) management plan. Few studies have investigated the staged devolution of diabetes services from secondary/tertiary care to primary care through increasing the capacity of primary care to meet the needs of patients who would otherwise use hospital outpatient services.