11 July 2022
Diabetes is one of the most significant health problems in South Western Sydney.
Overall, diabetes or high blood sugar affects 14.5 per cent of people in South Western Sydney, higher than the state average of 11.3 per cent – and that number is steadily growing.
People with type 2 diabetes make up the greatest proportion of these numbers. Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with overweight and obesity and is therefore, largely preventable.
SWSPHN partners with South Western Sydney Local Health District, healthcare providers and community to reduce the risk of diabetes in our community, and support primary care providers in managing diabetes.
This National Diabetes Week, 10 to 16 July, learn more about our work below:
About diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic condition which affects the whole body.
Diabetes occurs when the body can’t maintain healthy levels of glucose in the blood. Glucose is a form of sugar; it is the main source of energy for our bodies. Unhealthy levels of glucose in the blood can lead to health complications.
There are three main types of diabetes, they are:
Type 1 diabetes, a genetic condition which often shows up early in life
Type 2 diabetes, mainly lifestyle-related and develops over time
Gestational diabetes, occurs during pregnancy
Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, chronic kidney disease and dialysis, lower limb amputations, heart disease, stroke, complications in pregnancy and poor pregnancy outcomes. These complications have significant impacts on individuals, communities and the health system as a whole.
Who is at risk of Type 2 diabetes?
Diabetes runs in the family. If you have a family member with diabetes, you have a genetic disposition to the condition.
While people may have a strong genetic disposition towards type 2 diabetes, the risk is greatly increased if people display a number of modifiable lifestyle factors including high blood pressure, overweight or obesity, insufficient physical activity, poor diet and the classic ‘apple shape’ body where extra weight is carried around the waist.
People are at a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes if they:
- have a family history of diabetes
- are older (over 55 years of age) – the risk increases as we age
- are over 45 years of age and overweight
You can assess your risk by using the diabetes risk calculator on the Diabetes Australia website.
What can people do to prevent diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed in up to 58 per cent of cases by maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and following a healthy eating plan.
People at risk of type 2 diabetes can delay and even prevent the condition by:
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Regular physical activity
- Making healthy food choices
- Managing blood pressure
- Managing cholesterol levels
- Not smoking
SWSPHN’s role
General Practice
We support primary carers through a range of programs to ensure patients at risk of diabetes are receiving the best possible care.
Two examples:
The Integrated Diabetes Program funds hospital specialists to provide case conferencing in general practices to manage complex patients. Case conferencing assists GPs to support patients with type 2 diabetes. An endocrinologist and diabetes educator come to the practice, and the GP works with the endocrinologist to identify the patient’s care needs, identify outcomes to be achieved by each team member; and identify tasks which need to be undertaken to achieve these outcomes. The diabetes educator works with the patient to provide education and support developing skills in self-management.
Education including the Western Diabetes Education Program which is designed to increase awareness of the impact of diabetes, as well as build knowledge and develop skills in the management of diabetes for healthcare providers like GPs and general practice nurses.
Community
We also support our community through a range of initiatives and promotion of services to prevent or manage type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes Contraception and Pre-Pregnancy Planning
High rates of congenital malformations exist in South Western Sydney in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes Contraception and Pre-pregnancy Program has been designed to develop a more integrated approach to supporting women of childbearing age with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This program has been implemented elsewhere and has reduced the rates of congenital malformations, miscarriage and stillbirths by up to 70 per cent.
We’re working with Western Sydney University and the South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) to implement this program which:
- raises awareness of risk of unplanned pregnancy and contraception methods in healthcare providers and women
- provides easy access to best practice pre-pregnancy care for women who have decided to become pregnant
DiRECT-AUS Study
SWSPHN provides funding and support for the Australian arm of the Diabetes NSW DiRECT (Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial) Study. The program found that in the UK almost half of participants in the overweight or obese range who followed an intensive low-calorie diet of around 850 calories a day, for between eight and 20 weeks, were able to put their type 2 diabetes into remission.
Five general practices in South Western Sydney are participating in the trial, including Tharawal Aboriginal Medical Service. Download media release
The DiRECT study will be completed in July, with a full report to be released in January 2023. Additional research has also begun to look at how to effectively scale up the program.
Health Resource Directory
Health Resource Directory is a website developed by SWSPHN which provides reliable, local health information. It provides information on the main types of diabetes, as well as where to access supports and strategies to manage the condition.
Community representative invited to join diabetes sub-committee
SWSPHN is looking for one GP and one community representative to join our South Western Sydney Diabetes Framework to 2026 Primary and Community Diabetes Care Sub-Committee.
The sub-committee provides direction and clinical leadership on primary and community-based diabetes service provision in our region. It has representatives from SWSPHN and South Western Sydney Local Health District, in addition to endocrinologists and local GPs.
Meetings occur every two months, on the fourth Tuesday of the month, from 6pm to 7pm via Microsoft Teams. Participants will be required to attend meetings to provide input based on their experience and expertise, and to read meeting papers prior to meeting (including the previous meeting’s minutes).
If you have an interest in improving diabetes care in South Western Sydney, please apply by contacting Kathryn Dovey at Kathryn.Dovey@swsphn.com.au
