One in six hospital beds is occupied by a diabetes patient as the NHS struggles to treat the 200,000 diabetes-related complications that arise each year.
These complications are often serious in nature, including amputation, stroke, heart attack and heart failure.
The figure has increased from last year when one in seven hospital beds were taken by diabetes patients.
Around 3.9 million people in the UK suffer from the condition, and this number is expected to rise to 5 million within the next decade.
The NHS is spending around £10 billion per year on diabetes, £8 billion of which goes towards treating diabetes complications – many of which can be prevented with good medical care and support.
It was recently reported by the charity Diabetes UK that 135 foot amputations happen every week in the UK due to diabetes. Of these amputations, four out of five could be avoided.
It has also been revealed that diabetes contributes towards 21,712 strokes and 18,110 heart attacks every year.
Diabetes complications “could be prevented with better care”
Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: “It is an absolute tragedy that there are almost 200,000 cases a year of debilitating and life-threatening diabetes complications such as heart attacks, amputations and stroke that could be prevented with better care and support.”
“These complications have a devastating impact on people’s lives and are fuelling the high death rate in people with the condition, as well as meaning huge and often unnecessary costs to the NHS.”
She continued to emphasise the need to improve diabetes care, adding: “In particular, the NHS must get better at giving people with diabetes the education they need to take control of their condition, and ensuring that everyone with the condition is getting their essential health checks.”
Expert legal advice for diabetes compensation
If you have suffered diabetes-related complications because of substandard medical care, please get in touch with us today. A solicitor will advise you whether you could be entitled to pursue a claim.
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