Increasing continuity care by combining services.

: Historically, diabetes care in Northamptonshire was delivered without continuity, and service type depended on geography. In the south of the county, specialist diabetic care was largely delivered in acute settings; in the north, care was largely delivered in a community setting with in-reach into the acute hospital. After a review of the service, a two-year pilot multidisciplinary service was commissioned by NHS Northamptonshire, (now by NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group) and delivered by Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust. The pilot aimed to: bring the two localities in line with each other; deliver a patient-centred service; and promote care closer to home. This article explores how the pilot was carried out, outlines changes made to services as a result and makes suggestions for future practice.