When it comes to healthcare in Bermuda, several wars need to be fought. Government last month released new ammunition for the battle against diabetes.

Physicians will be directed on exactly how to handle all their diabetic patients through guidelines they will receive this month and in January. The guidelines spell out precisely for doctors what should be said and done in terms of screening, diagnosis, care and treatment of diabetic patients.

The standards put to an end confusing and misleading terminology like 'a bit of sugar' and 'a touch of sugar'. Patients will have to be diagnosed as having diabetes, having pre-diabetes or not having diabetes at all.

The guidelines were produced by a special task group specifically set up to create them. Last October the late Health Minister Nelson Bascome appointed the members.

The following month he led a debate on diabetes in the House of Assembly and asked that the condition be classed as a major threat to Bermuda's public health. Body & Soul ran an in-depth article on April 14, where Femi Bada, chairman of the task group, explained the importance of having the guidelines. In short, it is to ensure that in respect of diabetes there is consistency of care for all people in Bermuda.

On November 23 Health Minister Walter Roban released the Guideline for Diabetic Care to stakeholder groups including family physicians, internists, representatives from the Bermuda Hospitals Board, the Department of Health, the Bermuda Diabetes Association and other health-care organisations. But the document has not been released to the media. Betsy Baillie, consultant to the Department of Health and Co-ordinator of the group said the guidelines would be distributed to all local doctors and healthcare professionals this month.

"Following this there will be education sessions for the various physician and healthcare professional stakeholder groups," she said. "Early in 2010 the guidelines will be implemented and the public will be made aware of what the guidelines will mean to them and how they can be their own advocates for getting the best care possible. The goal of these guidelines is to set a 'gold standard' for Bermuda to ensure the highest standard of diabetes care and improve the capacity to screen, refer, deliver, manage and monitor services for people with pre-diabetes and diabetes and to reduce complications of the disease," she said.

She highlighted the need to standardise diabetes care: "Firstly, to try to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes; secondly, to ensure that patients with diabetes get the best care possible to prevent diabetes complications and improve quality of life: and thirdly, to minimise healthcare costs attributed to the disease."