A working group from ISPAD, EASD and ADA produced a consensus report on transition from paediatric to adult diabetes services. It followed accepted methods for consensus reports and guidelines, reviewed existing recommendations and the published evidence, and added survey data from health professionals, people with diabetes and carers. Evidence graded A or B went in directly; weaker evidence was put to a Delphi vote.
The result is 31 statements covering the whole pathway, organised into pre-transfer, transfer and post-transfer stages. The authors stress that it is a guide to be adapted to local services.
Young adulthood brings upheaval in physical, psychological, sexual and social life, and the report notes high rates of unplanned care and risk of early illness in this age group. For clinics here, the practical value is a shared framework to build a local transition policy, particularly where adult and paediatric services sit in different institutions.
- Start preparing the young person before the transfer date, not at the last visit.
- Use a written local transition policy that names who is responsible at each stage.
- Plan follow-up after the first adult clinic visit; the post-transfer stage is part of the pathway.
- Ask about mental health, sexual health and daily-life barriers, not only HbA1c.
- Adapt the 31 statements to what your local services can deliver.
Why it matters
It gives clinics a shared, three-society reference for a handover that is often left to chance.
Don't overread it
A consensus report reflects agreed expert judgement on partly weaker evidence; it does not prove that any one transition programme improves outcomes.
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