Table 3 Recommendations suggested by focus group participants to overcome barriers faced by those with diabetes and/or hypertension

Self

⇒ Practice moderation, allowing occasional indulgences

Practitioners

⇒ Improved attitude

⇒ Take the whole patient into account

⇒ More empathy for patients dealing with lifestyle challenges

⇒ Provide more information

Health Care System

⇒ Better customer service especially at polyclinic pharmacies and with appointment scheduling.

⇒ Improve continuity of care

⇒ Special care and priority for patients with diabetes and hypertension comparable to that given to asthmatics

⇒ Patient education to improve self-management skills

⇒ Introduction of a patient version of diabetes and hypertension guidelines

Wider society

⇒ Lower cost "healthy" foods such as fruits and vegetables

⇒ Access to exercise facilities -affordable, available and supervised exercise programmes

⇒ Support and education groups aimed at patients and their families

⇒ Education of the general public so that they may assist people with diabetes e.g. in emergencies, and as a means of primary prevention (school programmes to influence eating habits, prominent bill boards like those for AIDS prevention)