An evaluation of multi-professional education in diabetes.

The role of multi-professional learning in diabetes care has been controversial due largely to the severe practical problems that need to be overcome to allow comparisons with the standard uni-disciplinary approach. We describe the operation and analysis of a unique university-based but community-orientated multi-professional diabetes care course over a four-year period. The analysis is based both on objective assessment of students by the teaching team and by the assessment of the course and the teaching methodology by the students following completion. The results show significant improvements in knowledge, very good perception of quality and usefulness, with a large impact on the students' clinical confidence and perceived clinical practice following completion. Analysis in nine areas of diabetic care is presented with the vast majority of responding students confirming a better community standard of care as a result. We are of the opinion that these results support the application of multi-professional learning to encourage improved community care of diabetes.