News from the divisions: diabetes shared care

It is not surprising that diabetes care has been a very active area for divisional projects and activities. Diabetes is prevalent in the community (up to one million Australians) and in general practice (1% of GP encounters). Optimal cost-effective diabetes management involves collaboration between general practice and public and private health services--one of the purposes for which divisions were created. Because diabetes is a multisystem chronic disease requiring multi-disciplinary interventions, it has also been a model for applying the health outcomes approach in general practice, especially in New South Wales.