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The NDSS is administered by Diabetes Australia
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The NDSS is administered by Diabetes Australia
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Resources to support health professionals

Health professionals play an important role for people with diabetes, as they are a critical source of medical advice, information and support.

How we help people with diabetes

To help you assist people with diabetes in managing their diabetes, we’ve put together a range of resources. These include training modules, general information about the NDSS and diabetes product information.

You can print or download the information online. Need hard copies? Call the NDSS Helpline on 1300 136 588 or request them online.

Translated resources

Do you need information in another language? We have information available in languages other than English.

How we help health professionals

The following resources have been developed to support you.

Continuous glucose monitoring

Eligibility criteria

You will find information about the expansion of the Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) Initiative here.

To access CGM products through the NDSS, the person will need to be assessed by an authorised health professional to determine whether they meet specific eligibility criteria and to ensure that the use of CGM will help as part of their diabetes management. You can access details and information, relevant to the eligible groups, including eligibility criteria, directly from these links:

For more information, refer to the CGM FAQs for health professionals.

Download the Clarke hypoglycaemia awareness survey.

Please view the NDSS device summary and compatibility chart for information about the devices subsidised through the NDSS, their compatibility with insulin pumps and smart devices and links to guidelines about appropriate use.

Submitting a standard application

To submit an application, a completed Eligibility Assessment Form prepared and certified by an authorised health professional, should be:

Download an Eligibility Assessment Form here.

Special considerations

In certain circumstances, an authorised health professional may believe that the person has an equivalent level of high risk/high clinical need but does not satisfy the eligibility criteria to participate in the CGM Initiative.

In the aged 21 or over category, ‘equivalent’ needs may include a history of multiple episodes of severe hypoglycaemia with evidence of significant cognitive impairment requiring external third-party assistance for recovery as well as impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia, though no episodes within the last 12 months as since that time, they may have already been using CGM products as part of their diabetes management to prevent reoccurrence of severe hypoglycaemia episodes.

In these exceptional circumstances, special consideration may be given on a case-by-case basis, noting these will be:

  • considered by an appropriately constituted expert panel established by Diabetes Australia that will provide a recommendation to the Department of Health; and
  • the Department of Health will be the deciding body for all of these cases.

Supporting documentation certified by an authorised health professional is mandatory for the review of any special consideration application.

Submitting an application for special consideration

It is important that all medical and health information that you believe should be considered as part of the review process is submitted as only information that is submitted can inform the process. This may include details of:

  • the certifying health professional’s assessment that the applicant has experienced severe hypoglycaemia with cognitive impairment that occurred more than 12 months ago
  • confirmation that the certifying health professional is reasonably satisfied of the above episode needing third party assistance for recovery in the form of ambulance attendance, hospitalisation or health professional intervention
  • comorbidities
  • diabetes complications
  • medications
  • medical history
  • copy of Clarke hypoglycaemic awareness survey, and
  • any contributing factors.

To submit an application for special consideration, a completed Eligibility Assessment Form and supporting documentation outlining the assessment of equivalent level of high risk/high clinical need, prepared and certified by an authorised health professional, should be:

To learn more about submitting a special consideration application, you may refer to the Special Considerations FAQs.

Alternatively, you can call the NDSS Helpline on 1300 136 588.

What’s next

The NDSS may contact the person’s authorising health professional for additional information. However, only information that is provided can be considered in the process and it is the responsibility of the authorising health professional to provide all relevant information to support a request for special consideration for access to continuous glucose monitoring products through the NDSS. Where relevant, the person applying for access will also be notified that their health professional has been contacted for additional information. This is a new initiative and, in this context, each application for special consideration requires careful review to determine if the eligibility and the criteria have been met. Reviewing requests for special consideration will take time. The Department of Health will be monitoring the progress of the initiative to facilitate consideration for those with the greatest clinical need.

Continuous glucose monitoring resource

The following resource was developed for use by health professionals, to support their interactions with people with type 1 diabetes under the age of 21 either considering or using CGM:

Information for health professionals about fully subsidised CGM for people with type 1 diabetes under the age of 21.

For people working in aged care

This video explains resources that have been developed by the NDSS to provide support for people working in aged care.

Diabetes and emotional health

The aim of this handbook and toolkit is to promote the awareness of, and communication about, emotional problems that adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes may experience.

Emergency guide for local councils, emergency services and the not-for-profit sector

This guide is for organisations and personnel who deal with natural disasters and emergencies during the planning stages such as local disaster-management groups (local council), as well as those who deal with ‘on-the-ground’ situations after a natural disaster has occurred, such as those managing evacuation centres.

Feltman and Feltmum resources

Diabetes Victoria with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation have developed Feltman and Feltmum resources for health professionals that provide Aboriginal families with culturally appropriate, evidence-based information about diabetes.

Find out more about Feltmum and Feltman on Diabetes Victoria website.

Pre-pregnancy planning and care for women with diabetes

These resources are for women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes planning and preparing for pregnancy.

This course is for health professionals and provides information on pregnancy planning and preparation for women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Guidelines

Related information

Transitioning from paediatric to adult diabetes care

Stay Connected—a transition pack for health professionals and consumers to help young people to transfer from paediatric to adult diabetes care. Available from Lilly Diabetes, email:  or call 02 9325 4444.

Australia Diabetes Educators Association position statements

The Australia Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA) actively promotes evidenced-based best practice diabetes education to ensure optimal health and wellbeing for all people affected by, and at risk of, diabetes. The ADEA considers diabetes education a specialty field of health care practice.

To view the ADEA position statements, please visit their website at adea.com.au

Australian Diabetes Society position statements

The Australian Diabetes Society (ADS) is the peak medical and scientific body in Australia for diabetes. The main aim of the ADS is to enhance the welfare of individuals with diabetes mellitus by improving knowledge and understanding, producing management guidelines, training of health professionals and supporting diabetes research.

To view the ADS position statements, please visit their website at diabetessociety.com.au