Time to improve care for diabetics

St Ives MP Derek Thomas wants more post-pandemic help for those with diabetes

IAM chairman of a cross-party committee of MPs who are trying to improve care for diabetes after the pandemic. We are pushing for the new Health and Care Bill, which further integrates the NHS and social care, to prioritise the care of diabetes.

At the moment, diabetes care is not joined up and is not universal across the country. I spoke in the Commons last week demanding that the government’s plans for health and social care deliver a joined-up, clear pathway for diabetes from diagnosis through a whole lifetime.

We already know that a third of Covid-19 deaths in the first wave of the pandemic were in people with diabetes. Diabetes UK has highlighted that the risk of dying from Covid was almost three times higher for people with type 1 diabetes, and nearly twice as high for people with type 2 diabetes. If every one of the nearly five million people living with diabetes in the UK had access to the right treatment and support, we could have saved hundreds of lives.

Now that the NHS is getting the pandemic under control, it is vital that we tackle diabetes as our next priority. The treatment and care of diabetes is very advanced in this country. Unfortunately not enough people are getting an early diagnosis or a full menu of care and access to the most up-to-date technology once diagnosed - and this has been made worse by Covid-19, with over 60,000 missed or delayed diagnoses.

The good news is that complications – such as cardiovascular disease or problems with circulation and nerves – are largely avoidable when people receive timely care, management and treatment. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended treatment targets to reduce the risks of developing complications, and individualised plans based on these targets support people with diabetes to manage their condition.

Technology is a great assistance to people with diabetes. Keeping blood sugar levels within a target range is vital in managing the condition. The development of new types of diabetes monitoring technology (insulin pumps, insulin pens and wearable technology that measures blood sugar levels constantly) has widened the choices patients have in managing diabetes with clarity and accuracy. But this new technology is not available to everyone – more work and investment is needed to increase accessibility.

We must also ensure primary care staff have access to the training they need to provide the necessary care for people with diabetes. GPs, nurses and pharmacists do a brilliant job, but increased knowledge, resource and investment will ensure diabetics receive tailored treatment and support to manage their diabetes and reduce the risk of developing complications.

In the long term, improving care will actually save the NHS money. If we can help people with diabetes to manage their condition, we will not just be reducing the impact of diabetes on their lives. We will also significantly reduce the amount of money spent on treating avoidable complications in secondary care. At the moment, 80% of the NHS’s spending on diabetes is on managing potentially avoidable complications, and only 20% on care and treatment.

Improving care for this underestimated condition fits into this government’s “levelling up” ambitions. Diabetes is more common in deprived areas of the country, and is a major cause of serious health complications. If we can get people the right help at the right time, we can boost productivity all over the country. People with diabetes will be able to remain at work if we can better support them to keep their condition under control.

We have an opportunity right now to improve care and outcomes for people living with diabetes, but the condition needs to be given a higher profile within policy-making. Diabetes is a common and well-known disease, but it is often underestimated in its severity and the impact on people’s lives.

As chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Diabetes, and the only MP on the Diabetes Expert Working Group, I am urging the government to redouble their efforts to help people living with the condition. All diabetics, from whatever part of the UK they live, should be able to access the right level of care, support and treatment when it is needed.

Monday: Judi Spiers is relishing being middle-aged and proud of it and says the young can keep youth

A new Coronation Street storyline, which sees Summer Spellman, played by Harriet Bibby, diagnosed with type one diabetes, has been welcomed by Diabetes UK, who worked with the show to help raise awareness of living with the condition