• RCN Diabetes Forum
• RCN Library and Heritage Centre
• Diabetes subject guide.

• Association of British Clinical Diabetologists 
• NICE diabetes guidance. This webpage includes everything NICE has produced on the topic of diabetes: related NICE guidelines; pathways; quality standards and advice. There is guidance for adults, children and young people, diabetes in pregnancy, footcare; type 1 and 2 diabetes and preventing type 2 diabetes. (England and Wales)
• NICE guideline (updated 2022) Type 1 diabetes in adults: diagnosis and management. This guideline covers care and treatment for adults (aged 18 and over) with type 1 diabetes. It includes advice on diagnosis, education and support, blood glucose management, cardiovascular risk, and identifying and managing long-term complications. In July 2021, NICE reviewed the evidence and updated the recommendations on long-acting insulin therapy.
• SIGN (2010, updated 2017) Management of Diabetes. This guideline provides recommendations based on current evidence for best practice in the management of diabetes.

• Diabetes Africa. Diabetes Africa is a non-governmental non-profit organisation headquartered in the UK, active in Africa and in countries with African and Caribbean populations. It works to eradicate diabetes and related diseases in people of Black, African, and African Caribbean heritage, globally.
• Diabetes on the Net. The six steps to insulin safety. A free e-learning module from the Primary Care Diabetes Society (PCDS).
• Diabetes UK. This is the leading charity that cares for, connects with and campaigns on behalf of every person affected by or at risk of diabetes.
• Diabetes UK. Diabetes and emotional health - a practical guide. This guide is for healthcare professionals working with people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who are experiencing emotional difficulties.
• Diabetes UK (2024) How many people in the UK have diabetes? 
• Diabetes UK: Putting feet first campaign. This campaign aims to bring an end to the thousands of potentially preventable amputations affecting people with diabetes
• DSN Forum. Charts and comparison tables
• Knowdiabetes: 15 healthcare essentials. There are 15 vital checks and services that everyone with diabetes, whatever type, should get for free from their healthcare team – the 15 healthcare essentials.
• Inpatient Diabetes Training and Support. Handbook for Adult Inpatient Diabetes Care.
• NHS. Diabetes. This webpage provides comprehensive health information on diabetes.
• NHS National Institute for Health Research (NIHR): On The Level: Evidence for action on type 2 diabetes. This review brings together NIHR research on each aspect of type 2 diabetes care and features 35 published studies, 19 ongoing studies, questions for patients and health professionals, and patient voices.
• Trend Diabetes. The heartbeat of diabetes nursing.
• WHO Diabetes programme. This programme aims to prevent diabetes whenever possible and, where not possible, to minimize complications and maximize quality of life. Core functions are to set norms and standards, promote surveillance, encourage prevention, raise awareness and strengthen prevention and control.

• Gordon, C. (2019) Blood Glucose Monitoring in Diabetes - rationale and procedure, British Journal of Nursing, vol. 28 (7) 10 April 2019.
• Nursing Standard (2016) Enhancing diabetes education and self-management in South Asian populations in the UK.
• Nursing Standard, (2017) ‘Diabetes specialist nurse saved my life’, 2 May 2017.
• Nursing Standard, (2017) Overview of diabetes, Nursing Standard, 26 April 2017.
• Nursing Standard (2017) Nurse's dedication and support helped us deal with son's diabetes diagnosis, Nursing Standard, 21 April 2017.
• The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group. (1993) ‘The effect of intensive treatment of diabetes on the development and progression of long-term complications in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus’, New England Journal of Medicine, 329(14), pp. 977-986
• Watson, M. (2017) Airport security rules pose risk for users of insulin pumps, Nursing Children and Young People, 21 Apr 2017.

Reflection on learning and onward development

(Adapted from and maps to the NMC's reflective accounts)

Once you have reviewed the Diabetes Essentials resource, you can complete the reflective form.

The form contains the following sections and is mapped to the Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) reflective accounts template and the hours spent reviewing the resource can map to the NMC CPD log template (non-participatory hours).

Reflective Account – Diabetes Essentials Resource

Date Undertaken:

Details of Sections completed within Diabetes Essentials: 

Total time completed (Non participatory – map to NMC CPD log template):    (hours)

What sections of the Diabetes Essentials resource were reviewed and how does this relate to your area of nursing practice? 

What did you learn from the sections you reviewed and how does this impact on your area of practice? 

How have you changed / improved your practice as a result? 

How is this relevant to the NMC code? (select one of more themes: Prioritise People – Practise Effectively – Preserve Safety – Promote Professionalism and Trust

Development team

The RCN would like to thank the following individuals for being involved in the development of this original resource:

• Samantha Kelly (nee Rosindale), lead author, Diabetes Nurse Consultant for Merton & Wandsworth, Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust.
• Jo Reed, reviewer, Renal Diabetes Specialist Nurse, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
• Samantha and Jo were both committee members of the RCN Diabetes Forum at the time of publication.

The original learning area was developed by Louise Cox, and original illustrations were developed by John Heseltine BSc (Hons) and George Reith.