Leicester researcher has published guidance in a top journal on diabetes and multiple long-term conditions study
A Leicester professor has outlined guidance on how to improve care for people living with diabetes and other health conditions on the front cover of the global journal Diabetes Care.
The invaluable insights provided by Professor Kamlesh Khunti and a team of academics have earned a coveted spot on the front cover of Diabetes Care outlining how a multidisciplinary approach will improve the care offered to people living with diabetes and multiple long-term conditions (MLTC).
Professor Khunti, Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East Midlands and Co-Chair of Multiple Long Term Conditions Cross NIHR Collaboration, said: “This review highlights the challenges faced by people with diabetes and MLTCs and their health care professionals and highlights the pressing need for a multidisciplinary approach.”
Current health systems globally are designed for treating people with a single disease, but this research is now encouraging care teams to adapt their delivery systems and treatment options in order to meet the needs of those with MLTC.
This will require clinical experts, specialists, researchers, and people with MLTC to work together to develop life-changing interventions and a cost-effective health care system.
MLTC is defined as having two or more long-term conditions, with possible combinations of physical, infectious or mental health conditions. Conditions include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, arthritis, depression and severe mental health illnesses.
According to the study, MLTC have major implications for the individual, such as fragmented care, taking a number of medications, poor quality of life and mortality.
With the potential to reach millions of healthcare professionals, researchers, and individuals affected by these conditions worldwide, this report is poised to revolutionise the approach to patient care on a global scale.
Professor Khunti added: “It is both a privilege and an honour to see our review on diabetes and MLTC on the front cover of the internationally renowned journal Diabetes Care.
“Together with my esteemed colleagues, we believe that this holistic perspective will be the cornerstone in elevating the standard of care for individuals living with diabetes and MLTC.”
NIHR ARC East Midlands funds vital work to tackle the region’s health and care priorities by speeding up the adoption of research onto the frontline of health and social care. The organisation puts in place evidence-based innovations which seek to drive up standards of care and save time and money.
NIHR ARC East Midlands is hosted by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and works in collaboration with the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network. It has bases at the University of Leicester and the University of Nottingham.
To read the study in Diabetes Care, click here.