Diabetes Doesn’t Rest: Our State Election Priorities 

These priorities reflect the experiences, needs and concerns shared by people affected by diabetes across Victoria. This includes feedback received through our member surveys earlier this year and the Messages that Matter campaign. 

Here, we unpack these priorities. 

1. Ensure a healthier Victoria, now and for future generations 

1.1 Deliver a new healthy pregnancies program as part of women’s regular maternity care, creating direct savings in health care costs 

“There are urgent opportunities to help Victorians reduce their risk of developing type 2 and gestational diabetes,” says Professor Helena Teede from the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation. 

Gestational diabetes is now affecting almost 1 in 5 pregnancies, and around half of women who have had GDM will go on to develop type 2 diabetes within a decade.  

Professor Teede says delivering a new healthy pregnancies program as part of women’s regular maternity care is vital. 

“Monash University has developed a healthy pregnancy maternity care model which has proven to be effective, have high uptake, reduce gestational diabetes and other complications and save money in the health system,” she explains.  

“Evidence shows that this needs to be integrated into women’s regular maternity care.” 

1.2 Expand  the  Life!  program  and public campaigns to meet the needs of Victoria’s growing population. 

The Life! program has helped over 100,000 Victorians to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes since it was launched in 2007.  

Funding for the program has remained the same since 2012, despite the state’s population growing by more than 30%. 

“We can build on the current successful Life! programs for Chinese, Arabic and Vietnamese communities by making resources more widely available in language,” Ms Van Der Velden explains. 

“We want to expand these approaches into more language groups and extend program delivery to better reach multicultural communities and regional Victoria.” 

• What we are calling on the next Victorian Government to do: 
  • Invest$28.2 million over four years to deliver a new healthy pregnancies program for around 50,000 women. 
  • Invest $13 million over four years to expand the Life!

2. Fix  early intervention to improve health outcomes and avoid surging costs

2.1 Launch a new Life! early detection, early intervention and remission program in the community for type 2 diabetes, focused on priority groups   

We often hear about missed opportunities for early diagnosis and timely access to quality health care. 

“In 10% of people newly diagnosed with diabetes, complications of diabetes are already present - showing that it has been there for some years,” says Dr Ralph Audehm, general practitioner and Chair of the Primary Care Diabetes Society of Australia.

“Diabetes most commonly has no symptoms. As such early detection by having regular checks and targeting those at high risk is critical to get in early to prevent diabetes complications and those newly diagnosed may be able to reverse their diabetes!” 

 A new Life! early detection, intervention and remission program would focus on priority groups that have higher rates of type 2 diabetes, including:  

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 
• People in rural and regional areas 
• Culturally and linguistically diverse communities 

Diabetes distress has a negative impact on both mental wellbeing and diabetes management.  The program would include stepped-care mental health support.  

2.2 Support faster access to insulin pump therapy 

Victorian parents of children and young people living with diabetes report waiting times of up to 18 months to start insulin pump therapy.  

Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) systems are the standard of care for people with type 1 diabetes.  

“We know these technologies can help people more effectively manage diabetes and lead to better health outcomes,” says Diabetes Victoria CEO Glen Noonan.  

“Treatment and technology should be affordable and easy to access for all people living with diabetes.  

“Right now, people can access insulin pump therapy if they have top-tier private health insurance or if they pay for it themselves – and it’s not cheap.  

“Still, even for those people who can access pumps, the long waiting times to start insulin pump therapy in the state health system means delays in improving health outcomes.”  

• What we are calling on the next Victorian Government to do: 
  • Invest $28.7 million over four years to develop and deliver a new Life! type 2 diabetes early detection, early intervention and remission program. 
  • Invest $3.6 million over four years to increase the capacity of pump-trained diabetes specialists in the public system. Alongside this, create a website showing wait times for pump starts and information on alternative providers and faster access, including private pathways.  

 3. Provide the right diabetes care at the right time for all Victorians

3.1 Address long waiting times for specialist care by implementing new diabetes care models 

For Victorians living in rural and regional areas, it can be difficult to access optimal services. This category includes appointments with endocrinologists, nurses with advanced training in diabetes and credentialled diabetes educators. 

“The number of people living with all types of diabetes is growing, and cost of living pressures are causing extra demand on the public health system,” says Jo Walsh, Digital Communications Lead at Diabetes Victoria. 

“We hear from the diabetes community that wait times for appointments are getting longer, diabetes education is stretched and after-hours care has been rolled back.” 

3.2 Lift the standard of diabetes care in the health system, guided by a Diabetes Learning Health Network 

Approximately 35% of people admitted to Victorian hospitals are living with diabetes. People with all types of diabetes are at higher risk of developing infections and adverse outcomes. 

“Most other jurisdictions in Australia have a diabetes clinical network in place. This allows health professionals and people living with diabetes to address unacceptable variation in care across the health system,” says Holly Piontek Walker, Head of Health Policy and Research at Diabetes Victoria

“This is a low cost, practical solution that drives consistent, evidence-based improvements. 

“New therapies and new understandings of the behavioural and psychological impacts of living with diabetes are emerging. Every day without a structured way to train and upskill health professionals is another day where people are missing out on appropriate care.” 

• What we are calling on the next Victorian Government to do: 
  • Invest $14.4 million over four years to expand access to diabetes care using the cost-effective Beacon model.
  • Invest $1.8 million over four years to create better standards of diabetes care across the health system, guided by a Diabetes Learning Health Network. 

 4. Make sure no child is left out of early childhood education and care

4.1 Establish a policy directive that clearly defines the responsibilities and requirements of early childhood education and care settings in supporting children living with diabetes. 

All children and young people living with diabetes have the right to be included and thrive in education and care environments. Despite clear legal obligations to provide reasonable adjustments, children living with diabetes still encounter exclusion and discrimination. 

Diabetes Victoria is contacted, on average, once a week by parents and carers of children experiencing discrimination. It is distressing for families who rightly expect their child to have equal access to education and care. 

“We have around 750 children aged between 0 and 9 living with diabetes in Victoria,” says Advocacy Lead, Dr Bart Walus

“Our advocacy service has supported many families who have found it very challenging to enrol their child in care, or keep them in care, after a diabetes diagnosis. 

“There is no clear policy environment for early childhood education and care settings when it comes to diabetes. 

4.2 Create a new Diabetes and Early Childhood Education and Care program so all children can be included in care 

Most early childhood education and care settings do not have access to the structured, hands-on, face-to-face diabetes training delivered to schools through the NDSS Diabetes in Schools program. 

This means families either train staff themselves (via a private diabetes educator) or attend the centre (sometimes multiple times a day) to administer insulin. Some parents do not return to the workforce because there is inadequate care for their child. 

Investing in a program for early childhood education and care would support workforce participation for parents and carers who currently have no option but to provide full-time care for their child. 

“There is a lack of support especially in terms of professional development in Type 1 Diabetes for these early childhood centre staff. The Victorian Government needs to support families with young children living with diabetes,” says Jane Robinson, Head of Programs and Service Development.

• What we are calling on the next Victorian Government to do: 
  • Work with Diabetes Victoria to create a policy directive that provides clarity for the early childhood education and care sector about the responsibilities and requirements that enable children living with diabetes to participate.
  • Invest $3.1 million over four years for Diabetes Victoria to deliver a new Diabetes and Early Childhood Education and Care program. We will work alongside paediatric diabetes health professionals across the state to deliver education and capacity building. 

5. Keep Victoria at the forefront of diabetes research 

5.1 Lift investment for Victoria’s independent diabetes medical research institutes 

Victoria has been leading the country in diabetes research. As global diabetes research activity surges, our state is at risk of losing ground in the race to attract new research investment and trials. 

Right now, research development in diabetes technologies and treatments is advancing rapidly. 

“Now is the time for the State Government to back Victorian diabetes research,” says Lauren Monaghan, Manager of Policy, Strategy and Research at Diabetes Victoria. 

“It will bring investment and talent into the state, create jobs and bring forward life-changing breakthroughs in screening, treatments and care.” 

Over the past decade, Diabetes Victoria has invested $20 million in research and will continue to invest.  

Currently, the Victorian government lags behind all other states and territories in how it supports these institutes, providing just 17 cents in the dollar compared to New South Wales (55 cents) and Queensland (80 cents). 

“Victoria’s diabetes research institutes are world leaders in advancing the understanding of diabetes and developing groundbreaking treatments,” Ms Monaghan says. 

“For example, St Vincent’s Institute is leading one of the most exciting areas of research globally; trialling new therapies to prevent, delay, or reverse type 1 diabetes. 

“It is essential that we support Victorian research institutes to continue these advancements.” 

5.2 Establish a Diabetes Research Fellowships program to support the future of the Victorian diabetes research workforce 

Building and retaining a skilled diabetes research workforce is challenging. Unreliable funding and short-term employment contracts means researchers leave for other sectors. 

A dedicated diabetes Fellowships program would create essential pathways for Victorian early-career and mid-career researchers. 

“This is a critical step in establishing the next generation of leaders, who can attract research investment across discovery, behavioural research, new therapies and innovations in prevention,” Ms Monaghan says. 

5.3 Deliver state-of-the-art enhancements for diabetes care, building on the success of the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department diabetes service 

The Australian Centre for Accelerating Diabetes Innovations (ACADI) is focused on delivering innovations for diabetes diagnosis and care. 

ACADI played a leading role in establishing the innovative diabetes service within the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department. The service has helped 85% of patients avoid hospital and delivered a 94% patient satisfaction rate. 

Engaging ACADI as part of health care reforms will improve experiences for people living with diabetes and reduce stress on the health care system. 

• What we are calling on the next Victorian Government to do: 
  • Lift funding for Victoria’s independent diabetes medical research institutes to be in line with other states and territories. 
  • Invest $10.2 million over five years to establish a Diabetes Research Fellowships program. This will power the future Victorian diabetes research workforce. Diabetes Victoria will co-invest in its establishment. 
  • Invest $4.3 million over 4 years for ACADI to partner with health services, industry and lived experience to design and deliver further state-of-the-art enhancements for diabetes care. 

Read about Diabetes Victoria’s state election priorities and find letter templates to send to your local MPs and candidates: www.diabetesvic.org.au/advocacy-and-policy-change/diabetes-doesnt-rest