As we learned in week 1, the recent Diabetic Retinopathy Barometer Study found fundamental deficiencies in delivering DR services across many countries. Until they are addressed, these issues will critically slow down progress in preventing vision loss from diabetes:
The DR-NET: International collaboration to develop DR services
The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust (QEDJT), through the Commonwealth Eye Health Consortium, has enabled the formation of the Diabetic Retinopathy Network (DR-NET) which is building on existing partnerships between eye departments in 13 Commonwealth countries to share learning and promote training on DR screening and treatment.
The main activities of the DR-NET are:
International training programmes for screening and grading
The DR-NET promotes training in screening and grading through distance learning courses run by the Gloucestershire Retinal Education Group (GREG). Different qualifications (accredited by the University of Gloucestershire) are available, depending on the competencies required by the DR programme member. The courses require one day a week study plus supervised and assessed the application of the learning in clinical practice. There is great value in having screener/graders in countries without a local DR training programme who have passed one of the GREG courses as they can use their expertise to help develop local DR screening services, ensure the quality assurance of the new services, and train others.
GREG also produces Test & Training (TAT) and the international version iTAT. This is an internet-based monthly quality assurance and training-support system for graders who work in systematic DR screening programmes. It is equally useful to new or experienced screening staff and to staff wishing to improve their skills in the detection of diabetic retinopathy from ophthalmic images.
National frameworks and guidelines for DR services
The DR-NET institutions are working to develop locally appropriate frameworks and guidelines for DR services. At the initial DR-NET Workshop in 2015, as well as the local target to increase DR services in their catchment areas, each participating eye care centre was also charged with developing a national framework for DR services for their country.
Databases and diabetes registers
Information management systems built on robust databases and diabetes registers support the close links between diabetes and eye care services needed to manage the diabetic eye care pathway. Experiences from the DR-NET in this area have highlighted some key learning points:
In summary
We know that the number of people in low- and middle-income countries who need regular screening for DR will grow over the next 25 years and this will place an increasing burden on health services. The DR-NET partners are benefiting from sharing learning and expertise as they plan and develop national and regional DR services. Global partnerships and shared learning can be used to begin to address the inequity across health systems.