Many paediatric diabetes clinics not receiving expected funding

Many paediatric diabetes teams which have qualified for extra funding, by meeting a set of important care standards, are struggling to receive the funding they are due.
The agreement within the Best Practice Tariff requires paediatric diabetes services to meet 13 care standards in order to qualify for additional funding. Paediatric diabetes teams that fail to meet the standards will need to meet the standards by April 2013 otherwise their service will not receive any funding. The care standards include giving children access to a health team specifically trained in paediatric diabetes care, having at least four diabetes clinic visits a year for each child and checking, at least once a year, children are psychologically coping with the demands of their diabetes.
A number of paediatric diabetes units that have met the required standards but are struggling to receive the extra funding they can expect to receive. Charity Diabetes UK report that commissioning groups that concerns over lack of funding and attempts to find loopholes to avoid payment by commissioning groups have been raised. Diabetes UK’s Policy Manager, Gavin Terry, stated, “It is very disappointing that many paediatric diabetes units are struggling to secure the extra funding made available by the new Best Practice Tariff, despite meeting its standards.