Appendix 1

Diabetes Canada Diabetes Charter


The vision of Diabetes Canada for the Diabetes Charter for Canada is a country where people with diabetes live to their full potential
The guiding principles of Diabetes Canada in developing this Charter are to:
• Ensure that people who live with diabetes are treated with dignity and respect.
• Advocate for equitable access to high quality diabetes care and supports.
• Enhance the health and quality of life for people who live with diabetes and their caregivers.
Canadians Living with Diabetes* Have the Right to:
• Be treated with respect, dignity, and be free from stigma and discrimination.
• Affordable and timely access to prescribed medications, devices, supplies and high quality care, as well as affordable and adequate access to healthy foods and recreation, regardless of their income or where they live.
• Timely diagnosis followed by education and advice from an interprofessional team which could include the primary care provider, diabetes educator, nurse, pharmacist, dietitian and other specialists.
• Emotional and mental health support, as well as support for their caregivers, if needed.
• Be an active partner in decision making with their health-care providers.
• Have access to their medical records and other health information when requested, and gave it easily understood.
• Diabetes information, education and care that take into account a person’s age, culture, religion, personal wishes, language and schooling.
• Have their eyes, feet, kidneys, blood glucose control, cardiovascular risk factors and mental health checked as often as recommended by current clinical practice guidelines.
• Affordable access to insurance coverage.
• Fully participate in daycare, pre-school, school and extracurricular activities, receiving reasonable accommodation and assistance, if needed.
• Supportive workplaces that do not discriminate and make reasonable accommodation, as needed.
• Appropriate and seamless transitional care that recognizes the progression of disease.
Canadians Living with Diabetes Have the Responsibility to:
• Self-manage to the best of their ability and personal circumstances, including a healthy diet, exercise, following care plans and attending appointments.
• Be honest and open with health providers about their current state of health so that the most suitable care plans can be created.
• Actively seek out education, information and support to live well with diabetes.
• Respect the rights of other people with diabetes and health-care providers.
Governments Have the Responsibility to:
• Form comprehensive policies and plans for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and its complications.
• Collect data on diabetes burden, such as costs and complications, and to regularly evaluate whether progress is being made.		 • Guarantee fair access to diabetes care, education, prescribed medications, devices, and supplies to all Canadians, no matter what their income or where they live.
• Address the unique needs and disparities in care and outcomes of vulnerable populations who experience higher rates of diabetes and complications and significant barriers to diabetes care and support.
• Implement policies and regulations to support schools and. Workplaces in providing reasonable accommodation to people with diabetes in their self-management.
Health-Care Providers Have the Right to:
• Ongoing training, funding and tools needed to provide high quality diabetes care.
• Work in well-coordinated teams, either at the same location or virtually where support from specialists who provide diabetes care can be obtained within a reasonable time.
Health-Care Providers Have the Responsibility to:
• Treat people with diabetes as full partners in their own care.
• Learn and apply up-to-date evidenced-based clinical practice guidelines when caring for people with diabetes.
• Diagnose people living with diabetes as early as possible.
• Help people with diabetes and their caregivers navigate the health-care system.
Schools, Pre-schools, and Daycares Have the Responsibility to:
• Ensure staff and the child’s peers have accurate information about diabetes, provide a safe environment for diabetes self-management and protect children with diabetes from discrimination.
Workplaces Have the Responsibility to:
• Create an environment where people can reach their full potential by providing accommodation and eliminating discrimination against people with diabetes.
Diabetes Canada Has the Responsibility to:
• Strongly advocate for the rights of people living with diabetes on behalf of Canada’s diabetes community.
• Raise public awareness about diabetes in the public domain.
• Partner with researchers to improve the planning, provision and quality of diabetes care by promoting and applying research.
• Advocate for equitable access to diabetes care, education, medications devices and supplies.

*And their informal caregivers where relevant

www.mydiabtescharter.ca
1499-2671 © 2018 Canadian Diabetes Association.
The Canadian Diabetes Association is the registered owner of the name Diabetes Canada.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.11.001

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*The Canadian Diabetes Association is the registered owner of the name Diabetes Canada. All content on guidelines.diabetes.ca, CPG Apps and in our online store remains exactly the same. For questions, contact communications@diabetes.ca.