Diabetes UK and NHS Diabetes need your help to build a national database of Diabetes Specialist Nurses (DSNs) and Nurse Consultants working in the UK.
In the last decade the roles and responsibilities of DSNs have expanded considerably, but this is under threat due to lack of protected time and funding for continuing professional development.
Aims
This study aims to establish a database of DSNs from which we can find out:
- How many DSNs and Nurse Consultants are working in the UK?
- What is the work setting of DSNs and Nurse Consultants?
- What roles are DSNs and Nurse Consultants carrying out?
- What qualifications have DSNs and Nurse Consultants gained?
- What band level have DSNs and Nurse Consultants been awarded?
How will this help?
This will help us track gaps in provision, assist workforce planning, inform commissioning, provide essential information around the qualifications of NHS employed DSNs and identify DSN vacancies, ‘frozen posts’ and staff shortages.
What are we going to do?
We will send all DSNs and Nurse Consultants in the UK a postal questionnaire. We would like each individual DSN or Nurse Consultant to complete a questionnaire. The findings from this study will be presented at Diabetes UK Annual Professional Conference in March 2010.
We hope to repeat this study annually and to build on the data collected to help make sure that Diabetes UK and NHS Diabetes can support role and development of DSNs and Nurse Consultants.
On behalf of Diabetes UK and NHS Diabetes we are very grateful for your support and your participation in this valuable study.
The study has been funded by NHS Diabetes.
For more information, please contact: Charlotte Gosden
(email: charlotte.gosden@diabetes.org.uk or Tel: 020 7424 1073).