Critical Workforce Shortages Leave People With Type 1 Diabetes Unable To Access Life Changing Technology

The diabetes workforce is facing critical shortages, denying many people with type 1 diabetes access to life-changing tecnology. A report released today by the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD) details the results of a comprehensive survey of staffing levels in diabetes specialist services across the motu. Diabetes care involves a multi-disciplinary team of health professionals, including endocrinologists, nurse practitioners, diabetes nurse specialists, dietitians, pharmacists, podiatrists, psychologists and social workers. Specialist diabetes teams are involved in the care of all people with diabetes and provide crucial support to colleagues in primary care.

Report co-author, Nurse Practitioner Dr Helen Snell explained, “this report demonstrates that the clinical workforce in diabetes care faces significant staffing shortages across all health professions, when compared to international standards.” In most centres in Aotearoa staffing levels are less than half those recommended, and many regions have no dedicated psychologist or social worker, critical members of the team. “Rates of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and diabetes of pregnancy continue to rise. Our data shows that the current clinical workforce is not sufficient to meet the needs of the population,” said Dr Snell. NZSSD president, Endocrinologist Dr Rosemary Hall adds, “We are deeply concerned that people are missing out on life-saving and life-enhancing care.”

Staff shortages are getting worse. Despite operating with very low staffing levels, many diabetes services have not received approval to replace staff who have left during the 2024 calendar year. “At a recent national clinician’s meeting, staff from nine of ten regions reported that they had not been allowed to replace staff who had left this year despite the positions being within established service budgets” reported Dr Hall.

After years of advocacy Pharmac have now funded gold standard technology for people with type 1 diabetes, including automated insulin delivery. “Automated insulin delivery acts like an artificial pancreas, and is life-saving and life-changing for people with type 1 diabetes,” Dr Hall explained. “These systems are cost-saving but require a brief intensive period of training with a specialist diabetes team. There is no ‘one size fits all approach’.” “People have been waiting years for these technologies to be funded and we are devastated that many will continue to wait. Most concerningly, these are the people who have been unable to self-fund technology, widening inequities amongst those with diabetes. Many people will now face a wait of 5-10 years to commence automated insulin delivery”, explained Dr Hall. “This is unacceptable”.

https://www.nzssd.org.nz/resources/section/workforce

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