An evaluation of diabetes knowledge amongst general practitioners and senior medical students. Central Manchester Health Authority Working Party on Diabetes Care.

Knowledge about diabetes, its management and its complications was assessed using a questionnaire sent to 80 Central Manchester general practitioners (GPs) and 192 senior medical students. Completed questionnaires were received from 57 GPs and all medical students. Eight GPs had already established mini-clinics and a further 10 expressed interest in starting such a clinic. GPs scored 60 (38-83) % in the test whereas students had a mean score of 50 (26-77) % (p less than 0.001). Deficiencies in knowledge were detected in the following areas: the management of insulin-treated patients during acute illness, indications for insulin therapy in Type 2 diabetes, and several aspects of dietary management. This survey has demonstrated a considerable interest in diabetes amongst GPs, with a response rate of 71%, and one in three of those who responded were interested in establishing clinics. Should these results be representative of GPs elsewhere, this would suggest the need for a postgraduate course on diabetes in general practice, and emphasizes the necessity of close cooperation between hospital and general practice in diabetes care.