Local action needed to improve poor state of diabetes care

Local MP for Cheadle constituency, Mark Hunter, has backed a call by Diabetes UK for local action to improve the poor state of diabetes care, which is fuelling a major health crisis.

Mr Hunter attended Diabetes UK's parliamentary launch of its State of the Nation 2015 report, which has highlighted that across the country many people with diabetes are not getting the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended annual checks that they need to manage their condition. This is leading to record rates of complications, avoidable deaths and huge costs to the NHS.

The NHS spends £10 billion annually on diabetes, but 80 per cent of this cost is spent on complications such as blindness, amputations and stroke that could be avoided if the person got the right healthcare in the first place.

Diabetes UK is urging clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to put in place an action plan to improve healthcare for people living with diabetes in their communities and ensure people are supported to manage their condition effectively.

Mr Hunter said:

"Diabetes UK's State of the Nation report shows that many people with diabetes are still not getting the recommended level of healthcare. This is leading to thousands of people with the condition developing life threatening health complications such as blindness and amputations.

"While some areas are providing good care, action is needed so that all people with diabetes receive quality healthcare no matter where they live. I will also be talking to local NHS leaders about what can be done to help ensure everyone with diabetes in Cheadle gets the care and support they need to manage the condition."

Robin Hewings, Diabetes UK Head of Policy, said:

"We are pleased to have Mark Hunter's support on what is a very important issue. The poor state of diabetes care is fuelling a health crisis that if left unchecked threatens to bankrupt the NHS. Ten per cent of the NHS budget is spent on diabetes, but about 80 per cent of that is spent treating complications such as blindness, amputation and stroke. Meanwhile, not enough is being invested in good healthcare which could avoid these complications in the first place. Our State of the Nation report shows that with better integrated services and support to enable people to self-manage their condition, the NHS can save lives and money."