New diabetes society to be the voice of primary care professionals

The University of Melbourne has announced the formation of the Primary Care Diabetes Society of Australia (PCDSA).

The not-for-profit society has been established to support primary health care professionals to deliver high quality clinically effective care, in order to improve the lives of people living with diabetes.

Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne Associate Professor Mark Kennedy said the majority of the one million people in Australia with diabetes receive most of their care in primary care, yet there is no primary care-based multidisciplinary society to support those health care practitioners.

“Australia has a number of organisations that represent parts of the diabetes therapeutic community. All of these are vitally important in their own right but don’t represent the multidisciplinary nature of diabetes in primary care,” Assoc Prof Mark Kennedy said.

“The Primary Care Diabetes Society of Australia will be a unique and leading voice for all professionals working in primary care who are intent on improving standards.

“Education will be a key role of the society. We are establishing a quarterly online journal, online continuing professional development and will hold the first annual conference in Melbourne on April 30 next year.”

The PCDSA will also:

• Share best practice in delivering quality diabetes care.
• Provide high-quality education tailored to health professional needs.
• Promote and participate in high quality research in diabetes.
• Disseminate up-to-date, evidence-based information to health professionals.
• Form partnerships and collaborate with other diabetes related, high level professional organisations committed to the care of people with diabetes.
• Promote co-ordinated and timely interdisciplinary care.

Primary health care professionals can join the PCDSA and access the online journal and PCDSA at the website:  www.pcdsa.com.au. Membership of the PCDSA is free for Australian primary healthcare professionals who manage diabetes.

(Source: The University of Melbourne)