BRITAIN’S ‘FOOT ATTACK’

Every day, 20 people in England have amputations made necessary by their diabetes – more than 7,000 a year.

As many as eight in 10 diabetics die within five years of having an amputation.

Eighty percent of amputations begin as foot ulcers, which are largely avoidable and treatable if found early.

Hospitals such as King’s College in London regularly recall diabetics to check the condition of their feet and so rarely need to perform amputations. Others carry out far more surgeries. Adjusting for population, some areas of England account for 10 times more amputations than others. Campaign groups have called on the NHS to tackle this ‘postcode lottery’ by improving foot care for diabetics in underperforming areas.