Diabetes UK: NHS fails to diagnose hundreds of thousands with diabetes

Monday, 08, Sep 2008 12:00

NHS services in England are failing to diagnose people with Type 2 diabetes, leaving more than 500,000 at risk of heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputations, leading health charity Diabetes UK warns today.

New figures comparing data from the Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory (YHPHO) and the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF)¹ show significant disparity across Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) with almost 100 per cent diagnosed in Birmingham to only around 50 per cent in some areas of London. The national average for diabetes diagnosis stands at 84 per cent.

Douglas Smallwood, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said: “Whilst some PCTs have done an excellent job in diagnosing Type 2 diabetes, it is extremely worrying that hundreds of thousands of people in other areas are going about their daily lives unaware they have a condition that puts them at greater risk of devastating complications.

“Type 2 diabetes can go undetected for up to 12 years. By the time they are diagnosed, around half of people with Type 2 diabetes already have evidence of complications. Early diagnosis is essential so people can start managing their condition and help reduce their risk of developing these complications.”

The National Service Framework for Diabetes² in England aims to prioritise early identification of Type 2 diabetes. To date the NHS has not delivered on this public health challenge. In April, a Diabetes UK report found that, despite prevention being a key NSF objective, one in three PCTs still did not have a specific strategy for preventing Type 2 diabetes³.

The Government’s recent announcement that a vascular risk assessment and management programme (VRAM programme) will be introduced in England is a very important step in the prevention, early detection and effective management of Type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes UK warns that the organisation and delivery of the VRAM programme must ensure it does not increase health inequalities. The programme has to reach out to people living in deprived communities, who are 2.5 times more likely to have diabetes , and to those who do not have regular access to health services.

Risk factors of Type 2 diabetes include having a large waist or being overweight, being aged over 40 or over 25 for people of Black or South Asian origin, and having a family history of the condition. The charity is encouraging anyone with at least two risk factors to go to their doctor for a test.

To find out more about diabetes visit www.diabetes.org.uk.

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For further media information please contact Huw Beale or Maria Lam at Diabetes UK Press office on 0207 424 1165 or email pressteam@diabetes.org.uk. For urgent out of hours media enquiries, please call 07711 176 028.

Notes to editor

Ten Primary Care Trusts in England with the highest rates of undiagnosed people:-

SHA area diabetes diagnosis:

(Source - Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory, PBS Phase 3 Diabetes Population Prevalence Model - http://www.yhpho.org.uk/PBS_diabetes.aspx)

*Quality Outcomes Framework figures - people registered with their GP as having diabetes

**Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory figures are estimates of people with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes based on previous studies and census data.

NOTE: The Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory (YHPHO) have created a model to predict the prevalence of diabetes within a PCT. This is based on a number of studies and 2001 census data and takes into account the demographic characteristics of an area.

The model provides an estimate of the total number of people within an area who are likely to have diabetes (both diagnosed and undiagnosed). To work out how many people in that PCT are currently undiagnosed, they calculate the difference between the number of people registered as having diabetes at GP practices from QOF (actual prevalence) and the estimated YHPHO figure for the same year. This tells us that in some areas, there are people who have diabetes but have not yet been diagnosed and is on average about 20%.

2 ‘Department of Health. National Service Framework for Diabetes - England. Standards (2001)’.

3 Figures taken from Diabetes UK’s ‘Five years on… Are we half way there?’ report, April 2008:-

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Reports/Five_years_on_-_are_we_half_way_there2008.pdf

4 The Programme, as announced by Gordon Brown and Alan Johnson earlier this year, will screen adults aged between 40 and 74 years old. The aim is to reduce the incidence of and premature death from vascular conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.

5 ‘Diabetes and the disadvantaged: reducing health inequalities in the UK - World Diabetes Day 14 November 2006’ - http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Reports/Diabetes_disadvantaged_Nov2006.pdf

6 At risk waist measurements are:

• 37 inches (94cm) or more for men, except those of South Asian origin

• 31.5 inches (80cm) or more for all women

• 35 inches (90cm) or more for South Asian men

7 Diabetes UK is the charity for people with diabetes. We fund more than £7 million of medical research every year, provide information and support to people with diabetes and campaign on their behalf. For more information visit www.diabetes.org.uk.

8 In the UK, there are currently 2.3 million people diagnosed with diabetes and it is estimated that more than half a million people have the condition but do not know it.

9 The Diabetes UK Careline (0845 120 2960) offers information and support on any aspect of managing diabetes. The line is a lo-call number and opens Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm (operates a translation service). Recorded information on a number of diabetes-related topics is also available on this number 24 hours a day.

10 Membership of Diabetes UK is from £22 a year with special rates available. In addition to our bi-monthly magazine Balance, members receive support and the latest information on diabetes care and treatments to help them live a healthy life.