Following suggestions based on a population general practice survey conducted by the DEDICATED research team in 2012 that a tailored culturally-competent service was needed for the ethnic minority groups (EMGs) with diabetes in Coventry, the DEDICATED team has worked with four staff and three EMGs with diabetes in one local practice, with a high number of EMGs with diabetes, over seven months.

Using weekly participant observations, monthly meetings and one-to-one interviews, the research explored cultural issues with patients and staff, and designed a Diabetes Specialist Multilingual Link Worker (DSMLW) Service Framework, including a referral pathway to reduce the inequality in diabetes service provision within the practice.

The GP daily operational activities demonstrated both helpful and unhelpful practices. Therefore, the team proposed that the motivational DSMLW will possess specialist knowledge in diabetes and cultural and linguistic competences in appropriate ethnic groups to assist the practice with:

• Interpretation/translation/advocacy
• Liaison between patients and HCPs
• Delivery of tailored unstructured/structured diabetes education sessions
• Joint diabetes clinics with GPs, practice nurses, diabetes specialist nurses, dietitians
• Creating and facilitating group education

Peter Zeh, DEDICATED Chief investigator said:

‘due to the dearth of professional interpreters and structured diabetes education programmes for the ethnic minority patients with diabetes in the city, this was a real opportunity for the diabetes service leads and CCG leaders to commission and implement such an initiative to support and empower these patients to self-manage their diabetes. This will not only ensure that our local diabetes service is more integrated, but will also improve patient experience, reduction in DNA rates, as well as ultimately improve diabetes care outcomes.’

If you would like further information, please contact: peter.zeh@uhcw.nhs.uk