Diabetes Victoria’s response to the 2025-26 Victorian state budget

We recognise the challenges of preparing a state budget and our proposals were practical and impactful.

Diabetes Victoria welcomes the increase in investment in the 2025-26 Victorian state budget into the health system. However, we are disappointed that our recommended measures to address the impact of diabetes were not included.

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in the community and rates are rising. Almost 400,000 Victorians are living with diabetes, and a further 125,000 have undiagnosed diabetes. Diabetes has a profound impact on people’s health and wellbeing, particularly for people in rural and regional areas, households with lowest incomes, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. With 90 people diagnosed with diabetes each day in Victoria, greater investment is needed to manage the impact of diabetes on people’s health, and on the state’s health system.

Diabetes Victoria’s 2025-26 state budget submission called for the development of a Victorian Diabetes Plan and recommended four critical areas for investment:

• Improved models of diabetes care in hospitals
  • Establish a Diabetes Learning Health Network
  • Scale up a proactive model of diabetes care using electronic alerts for specialist consults
• Increased equity of access to specialist diabetes advice in rural and regional areas
• Healthy pregnancy and prevention
  • Prevention of gestational diabetes during pregnancy: Early Intervention and Investment Framework proposal
  • Pre-pregnancy care and continuous glucose monitoring for women with type 2 diabetes during pregnancy
• Early intervention for younger adults with early-onset type 2 diabetes

The budget priorities would all have impact in improving the lives of people affected by diabetes and deliver value for money by supporting the sustainability of the health system.

Diabetes Victoria is pleased to see the continuation and expansion of the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) in the 2025-26 budget. The VVED diabetes service that launched in 2024 is an incredible service improvement for people living with diabetes. In the first year of operation, the VVED diabetes service has achieved significant diversion rates, helping people with diabetes receive the care they need at home and avoiding unnecessary travel to emergency departments.

We also recognise the Victorian Government’s continued investment in the Life! prevention program, which helps Victorians reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. As noted in the 2025-26 budget papers, there is high demand for this prevention program, and it is helping thousands of Victorians every year with a path to better health and wellbeing.

We note that the state’s Diabetes Connect trial funded through the Commonwealth’s Government’s Primary Care Pilots initiative is due to conclude on 30 June and there is no mention of this initiative in the state budget papers. We hope to continue to work with the state to develop sustainable models of care to reduce avoidable diabetes progression and improve coordination of care for people living with type 2 diabetes.