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Support between healthcare visits: NDSS programs and resources

Support between healthcare visits: NDSS programs and resources

As a health professional, you play a vital role in supporting people living with diabetes. Yet, it can be challenging to know where to refer people for additional diabetes information and support between healthcare visits. That’s where the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) can help.

The NDSS

The NDSS provides support to over 1.5 million Australians living with diabetes across the country1. Its goal is to help people manage their condition more effectively through diabetes self-management education (DSME) programs, resources, and access to subsidised diabetes products. DSME plays a critical role in building diabetes knowledge, encouraging positive lifestyle behaviours, and promoting emotional wellbeing2. Its effectiveness is well established, with evidence showing improvements in glycaemic control, diabetes knowledge, self-care behaviours, and quality of life3–7,.  

The NDSS and DSME

In response to the growing demand for flexible, accessible DSME, the NDSS adapted several of its successful face-to-face DSME programs to online formats. This transition not only aligns with a changing healthcare landscape but also reduces barriers to education and support, better meeting the needs of its registrants. Several NDSS programs that have been successfully adapted to an online format include Beat It Online, OZDAFNE@home (Pens), and Living Well with Diabetes Online.

Let’s take a closer look at these NDSS programs and others to help you determine which ones may best suit the needs of the people you support with diabetes.

Beat It Online

Who is it for?

People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who want education and support to become more physically active.

What is it?

An eight-week online group lifestyle and exercise program delivered by an exercise professional, designed to support diabetes management through:

  • moderate intensity aerobic, strength, and balance-based exercises
  • education sessions on healthier living and diabetes self-management
  • peer support in a group setting.
What is included?
  • an initial health and fitness assessment
  • 16 group sessions (two per week, online)
  • an individualised exercise program tailored to ability
  • ongoing progress tracking
  • a final consultation to plan for ongoing fitness.
Benefits of the program

Research looking at the effectiveness of this program in adults with type 2 diabetes found it significantly improved (P<0.001) aerobic capacity, strength, balance and flexibility, and reduced waist circumference8.

Find out more: Beat It Online

OZDAFNE@home (Pens)

Who is it for?

Adults with type 1 diabetes using multiple daily injections (MDI) who would like to learn how to adjust their insulin doses with more confidence and flexibility.

What is it?

DAFNE (or OzDAFNE in Australia) stands for Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating.  It’s a structured group education program designed to help participants gain the skills and confidence to manage their diabetes more effectively.

The program combines online learning with weekly interactive group sessions (via Zoom) over seven weeks.

What is included?

Participants will learn how to:

  • calculate carbohydrate amounts in food and the right insulin dose
  • make changes to their insulin doses when needed
  • manage hypoglycaemia, illness, and exercise. 
Benefits of the program

Research has found that participants who completed the OzDAFNE program have improved HbA1c results, less diabetes distress, and reduced incidence of severe hypo events and diabetic ketoacidosis7. 

Find out more: OZDAFNE@home (Pens)

Living Well with Diabetes Online

Who is it for?

Adults living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who would benefit from ongoing education, support and motivation in managing their condition.

What is it about?

A series of short, interactive online sessions led by experienced diabetes health professionals. Sessions are tailored by diabetes type and designed to support everyday living with diabetes through practical information and guidance on:

  • diabetes and exercise
  • healthy eating and diabetes
  • annual diabetes health checks
  • diabetes and emotional wellbeing
  • behaviour changes strategies
  • diabetes and technology.

Participants choose the sessions most relevant to them. Each session includes a Q&A opportunity at the end.

Benefits of the program

Living Well with Diabetes online is flexible and accessible and can be tailored by the participant’s choice of interest. It helps builds diabetes knowledge, confidence and self-efficacy.

Find out more: Living Well with Diabetes – Online

Explore other NDSS programs and resources

The NDSS also has a wide range of on-demand programs available at the click of a button. As well as resources specifically designed to support diabetes management for people living with type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes.

There are resources to help reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications, such as FootForward and diabetes health checks. As well as resources to support healthy aging, connecting with peers, and looking after your emotional health.

Whether the people you support are newly diagnosed or have been living with diabetes for some time, the range of NDSS programs and resources offers practical, accessible tools to build knowledge, confidence, and diabetes self-management skills.

References

  1. NDSS Data Snapshots (2025) ‘All types of Diabetes (2025 Jul–Sep) NDSS website, accessed 1 July 2025.
  2. American Diabetes Association (2024) ‘Facilitating Positive Health Behaviors and Well-being to Improve Health Outcomes: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025’, Diabetes Care 2025, 48(Supp 1) S86–S127, https://doi.org/10.2337/dc25-S005
  3. Ernawati U, Wihastuti TA, Utami YW. Effectiveness of diabetes self-management education (DSME) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients: Systematic literature review. J Public Health Res. 2021 Apr 14;10(2):2240. doi: 10.4081/jphr.2021.2240.
  4. DAFNE Study Group. Training in flexible, intensive insulin management to enable dietary freedom in people with type 1 diabetes: dose adjustment for normal eating (DAFNE) randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2002 Oct 5;325(7367):746. doi: 10.1136/bmj.325.7367.746.
  5. Torres HC, Pace AE, Chaves FF, Velasquez-Melendez G, Reis IA. Evaluation of the effects of a diabetes educational program: a randomized clinical trial. Rev Saude Publica. 2018 Feb 5;52:8. doi: 10.11606/S1518-8787.2018052007132.
  6. Hermanns N, Kulzer B, Ehrmann D, Bergis-Jurgan N, Haak T. The effect of a diabetes education programme (PRIMAS) for people with type 1 diabetes: results of a randomized trial. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2013 Dec;102(3):149-57. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2013.10.009.
  7. Speight J, Holmes-Truscott E, Harvey DM, Hendrieckx C, Hagger VL, Harris SE, Knight BA, McIntyre HD. Structured type 1 diabetes education delivered in routine care in Australia reduces diabetes-related emergencies and severe diabetes-related distress: The OzDAFNE program. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2016 Feb;112:65-72. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2015.11.002.
  8. Kirwan M, Chiu C, Laing T, Chowdhury N, Gwynne K. ‘A Web-Delivered, Clinician-Led Group Exercise Intervention for Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: Single-Arm Pre-Post Intervention  J Med Internet Res’ 2022;24(9):e39800. DOI: 10.2196/39800

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