Diabetes UK has launched a new tool for healthcare professionals to support people with diabetes feeling emotionally low or depressed.

The Mood Information Prescription helps generate a structured conversation between a healthcare professional and a person with diabetes who may be feeling anxious or fearful about their condition.

The one-page document aims to enable a person with diabetes to talk about how they feel, manage their diabetes well and find practical ways to feel more positive about living with their condition.

According to Diabetes UK, depression is twice as common in people with diabetes, yet less than one in four people with diabetes have access to appropriate emotional and psychological support. Depression may be triggered by the impact of being newly diagnosed with diabetes, the daily responsibility of managing the condition and/or the fear of complications caused by diabetes such as blindness and amputation.

Diabetes UK Senior Healthcare Engagement Officer Louise Cripps said: "The Diabetes and Mood Information Prescription helps healthcare professionals provide psychological support to patients which is vital for many people living with diabetes.

"We want this new tool to initiate a conversation about emotions and encourage a person with diabetes to think about what they can do to improve their mood. Initiating such conversations can be difficult but this focus on psychological wellbeing can help a person manage their condition, minimise their risk of developing serious complications and can lead to better clinical outcomes for their diabetes."

You can view the Diabetes and Mood Information Prescription here.