In the allocated time I will, as requested, provide some perspectives on GDM/DIP and some changes that I have seen over time, attempting to do so from the standpoint of my major area of clinical interest which has been (and remains) clinical datasets, data collection, quality audit and benchmarking. Supported initially by senior colleagues and subsequently by dedicated staff, I have been able to pursue my clinical interest in the above areas and have seen a number of benefits from the structured data collection that we have championed in our Department in the area of GDM and Diabetes in Pregnancy. Key points from our clinical research have been presented at ADIPS meetings and in the published literature. In the short time available I will highlight some of these with a focus on the elusive ‘minimum dataset’, and I will finish with three important ‘take home messages’.