Diabetes Tasmania delivering better health for rural Tasmania

Diabetes Tasmania is thrilled to be awarded the Primary Health Tasmania tender to deliver improved health outcomes in rural local government areas for Tasmanians living with type 2 diabetes.

The contract was announced today as part of Primary Health Tasmania’s rural health contracts, giving Diabetes Tasmania the opportunity to take a lead role for other rural primary health commissioned providers, providing expertise and support in the management of type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Tasmania CEO Caroline Wells said this is a significant step forward for those people within rural communities living with diabetes.

“What we strive to achieve is to see a reduced number of preventable hospitalisations due to diabetes complications as well as reducing the levels of diabetes distress for people living with type 2 diabetes,” Ms Wells said.

“Our service model is an integrated care pathway consisting of a number of complimentary interventions which are designed to ensure targeted, evidence based diabetes self-management education and support, which is accessible and relevant for people living with type 2 diabetes in rural Tasmania.

“This state-wide service gives us an opportunity to take leadership for diabetes in the state, and will see us liaising with other service providers and stakeholders to implement best practice diabetes management, while working with service providers to develop refine and implement referral pathways for people living with diabetes.

“As well as this, we will be providing support and advice to other rural Primary Health commissioned providers and negotiate how their model and service can value add and improve the management of diabetes in rural Tasmania.

“We look forward to extending our already strong relationship with Primary Health Tasmania and working within our rural communities to ensure people living with diabetes are empowered to actively and effectively manage their condition.”

Diabetes Tasmania will provide services in the following local government areas: Break O’Day, Central Coast, Central Highlands, Circular Head, Derwent Valley, Dorset, Flinders Island, George Town, Glamorgan-Spring Bay, Huon Valley, Kentish, King Island, Kingborough (Bruny Island only), Latrobe, Meander Valley, Northern Midlands, Southern Midlands, Tasman, Waratah/Wynyard, West Coast and West Tamar.
Georgi Wicks