Diabetes Care

Diabetic care has previously been delivered by the practice under an Enhanced Service commissioned by NHS Highland. Enhanced Services are a means by which Health Boards can contract with practices to deliver services which are out-with the core GP contract.

Unfortunately, NHS Highland have withdrawn this Enhanced Service and have not issued an acceptable alternative.

We therefore have to refer a cohort of our patients to the consultant-led diabetes service at Raigmore hospital, and they will be responsible for the continued diabetic care.

Patients that we are having to refer to the diabetic service come under one, or more, of the categories below:

• Diabetics on Insulin.
• On another injectable medication.
• On three or more oral medications.
• On two or more oral medications with an HbA1c of 58 or above.

For all patients whose care will remain with the practice, your diabetic monitoring will now continue as an annual, instead of 6 monthly, review. We will contact you annually, on or around your month of birth, to ask you to arrange your review appointment.

It is a source of regret and frustration to Riverside Highland Medical Group that we are unable to continue to deliver these services locally. It is hoped NHS Highland may in the near future choose to contract this work back to General Practice in a viable way.