New figures show rising daily cost to NHS of diabetes treatment

Official figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) have shed light on the significant costs associated with providing care for diabetes patients on the NHS.

During 2013-14, prescriptions to manage diabetes in primary care cost the NHS 2.2 million pounds on average every day, while the net ingredient cost for managing diabetes was 803.1 million pounds.

This is a 5.1 percent increase on the previous year and a 56.3 percent surge compared to 2005-06. It means almost ten per cent of the nation's total primary care drugs bill was spent on managing diabetes in the last year.

Seven out of ten diabetes prescription items were for antidiabetic drugs, with diagnostic and monitoring devices – including blood glucose testing strips – making up the remainder.

HSCIC chair Kingsley Manning said: "Diabetes continues to be one of the most prevalent life-threatening conditions in England … Our latest data highlights the growing implications to the NHS and patients of managing this condition."

In England in 2010, there were approximately 3.1 million people aged 16 or over with diabetes – a figure that is forecast to rise to 4.6 million by 2030.