NHS diabetes care “improving”

Diabetes care in the NHS is improving, according to Rosie Winterton, health minister.

A new report entitled “Turning the Corner: Improving Diabetes Care”, revealed progress made in diabetes treatment but also stated the challenges the health service must overcome.

Among the key proposals is to introduce an NHS “Life Check” to screen everyone for high-risk diabetes factors, such as high blood pressure and body mass. It also said that more people should be encouraged to amend their lifestyle.

Ms Winterton stated: “Today’s report outlines the growing challenge of diabetes, in terms of the real cost it imposes on people’s lives, their families and the NHS.”

“What is really encouraging is the way the NHS is responding to the challenge to improve local services for people with diabetes, and I’d like to thank everyone involved for their dedication and hard work,” she added.

Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, remarked: “The many great examples of high quality care in this report must serve as a road map for local NHS services that are still failing people with diabetes.”

“By identifying people with diabetes early and treating them effectively we can significantly reduce the problems such as blindness, heart disease and kidney failure which can result from diabetes. By doing this we will not only save people’s lives but we will also reduce the long term impact on the NHS,” concluded.

According to Diabetes UK, approximately one million Britons have diabetes but do not realise. It says over two million people in the UK have diabetes, of which over three-quarters have type-II diabetes, when the body cannot produce enough insulin.

© Adfero Ltd