According to The Public Accounts Committee, diabetes in the UK is “depressingly poor”.
This was the conclusion of a report carried out at the end of last year which studied how well the NHS managed patients with the condition. It found that not enough people with diabetes were receiving the appropriate care, with less than half of patients receiving the nine basic tests they should be. The report said that if these problems were rectified, some 24,000 lives could be saved every year.
The same concerns were recently reiterated by ministers in the Department of Health which urged the NHS to improve diabetes care. This came after Diabetes UK revealed just 20% of patients are meeting recommended levels for blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. For those with type 1 diabetes this figure is as low as 11%, putting many at increased risk of complications such as kidney failure and stroke.
Ministers attributed these failings to the worrying reality that only 54% of diabetes sufferers receive the nine annual checks recommended to prevent diabetes-related complications developing. In some parts of the country, only 20% of diabetics are having these checks, all of which should be made available to anyone with the condition.
Diabetes UK commented on these statistics, saying care needs to be improved to help people effectively manage their condition. Barbara Young, Chief Executive of the charity, said: “Given that diabetes is serious and can lead to early death… it is extremely worrying that so few people have it under control.
“The high rate of preventable complications is the inevitable consequence of a healthcare system that has all too often not been good enough and this highlights the need for local services to put in place self-management support programmes to help people manage their diabetes well.
“At the moment there is virtually no access to the ongoing education and support to help people manage their diabetes and so help avoid complications reduce their chance of early death.”
Have you suffered poor diabetes care?
If you have been harmed due to poor diabetes care within the NHS, do not hesitate to get in touch with us at Glynns Solicitors to discuss your options, as you could be entitled to make a claim for the substandard treatment you have received.
Share Article With:
|
|
|
|
|
|
