Evaluation of the clinical and cost effectiveness of intermediate care clinics for diabetes (ICCD): a multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Configuring high quality care for the rapidly increasing number of people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a major challenge worldwide for both providers and commissioners. In the UK, about two thirds of people with T2D are managed entirely in primary care, with wide variation in management strategies and achievement of targets. Pay for performance, introduced in 2004, initially resulted in improvements but disparities exist in ethnic minorities and the improvements are levelling off.

A cluster randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of intermediate care clinics for diabetes (ICCD): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: World-wide healthcare systems are faced with an epidemic of type 2 diabetes. In the United Kingdom, clinical care is primarily provided by general practitioners (GPs) rather than hospital specialists. Intermediate care clinics for diabetes (ICCD) potentially provide a model for supporting GPs in their care of people with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes and in their management of cardiovascular risk factors.

Assessment of key influences on asthma inhaler device selection.

Aim: To identify factors that influenced trained asthma practice nurses' inhaler device selection and the relative importance they placed on these factors in clinical practice.

Method: Questionnaires were sent to 1,500 randomly selected, trained asthma nurses working in primary care. A second, open-ended questionnaire was sent to 300 of these nurses.