Proactive total diet replacement referral for type 2 diabetes: A service evaluation

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus morbidity disproportionally effects the most socioeconomically deprived 20 % of England. Total Diet Replacement (TDR) is a high impact intervention currently commissioned by Integrated Care Boards (ICB). Finding and referring eligible, motivated patients is a significant challenge. This study evaluates a 12-month population health management, proactive referral intervention commissioned by Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB during a 2-year TDR pilot designed to supplement referrals from primary care.

A Diabetes specialist nurse clinically reviewed a list of potentially eligible patients found by searching routinely collected health care data from 16 primary care centres in 3 PCNs.

19.7 % (50/254) of potential patients were referred during the intervention period. 19.3 % (49/254) were uncontactable. 39.8 % (101/254) declined referral. 17.7 % (45/254) were ineligible after clinical review. An interrupted time series analysis suggests monthly referrals increased during the study period due to the intervetion (F (1,22) = 5.19 p=0.0345). Searching for patients from more socioeconomically deprived areas (index of multiple deprivation deciles 1-3) did not meaningfully alter the referral yield (19.6 %, 19/97).

Proactive care interventions could be used to facilitate referrals to the TDR or other high impact interventions by healthcare commissioning bodies.