National Paediatric Diabetes Audit Annual Report 2020/21

The National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA) has published its latest annual report. The report covers the health checks (care processes) and outcomes for children and young people with diabetes who have attended Paediatric Diabetes Units (PDUs) during the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021, aged 0-24 years on the first day of the audit period. The report found that the incidence of Type 1 diabetes increased significantly in 2020/21 amongst those aged 0-15, from 25.6 new cases per 100,000 in 2019/20 to 30.9 in 2020/21 – an increase of 20.7%. Other key findings include:

• 3,662 children and young people newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes received care from paediatric diabetes units in 2020/21 – 789 more than the average number newly diagnosed and being managed in a PDU between 2013/14-2019/20.
• The number of children and young people with Type 2 diabetes being managed within a PDU increased from 866 in 2019/20 to 973 in 2020/21, with the numbers diagnosed within the audit year having increased from 201 in 2019/20 to 230 in 2020/21.
• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric diabetes care can be seen in lower completion rates of all recommended health checks and the smaller percentage of children and young people starting insulin pump therapy if diagnosed in 2020/21, compared to previous years.

In addition, an increase in the use of real time continuous glucose monitors (rtCGM) from 19.4% in 2019/20 to 27.9% in 2020/21 was found, with increases observed across all deprivation quintiles and ethnic groups. As such, the report recommends that paediatric diabetes teams and hospital commissioners should ensure that a real time continuous glucose monitor is available to all children and young people with diabetes who wish to use one, supported by an education programme. Read the full report: You can read the report by clicking on the link below. Stay-up-to-date: For notifications of future reports from HQIP, sign up to our mailing list.