Diabetes UK campaigns in Parliament to make sure diabetes is kept high on the political agenda. We lobby for improvements and raise awareness of diabetes and issues which affect people with the condition through parliamentary questions, debates, briefings and events. We also provide the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Diabetes.

Diabetes UK critical of government’s defence of diabetes care in NHS

Following the National Audit Office (NAO) report and hearing into the effectiveness of diabetes care in the NHS, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) – the Government’s spending watchdog – published its response, which was also critical of the Department of Health. 

In summing up the report Margaret Hodge MP, the chair of the committee, stated:

• There was no strong national leadership and no effective accountability arrangements for commissioners.
• Fewer than half of people with diabetes are receiving all nine of the tests the Department of Health Set out as minimum standards for diabetes care more than 10 years ago.
• An unacceptably high number of people with diabetes are at risk of developing complications
• The quality of diabetes care varies dramatically across the NHS.
• There was no evidence that the Department of Health will ensure that these issues are addressed effectively in the new NHS structure.

The government have now published its own response to the Public Accounts Committee report in the Treasury Minutes on the Fourteenth, the Seventeenth to the Nineteenth and the Twenty First Reports from the Committee of Public Accounts.

"No clear plan to make improvements a reality"

While accepting that the government had acknowledged there was problems with diabetes care in the NHS, Diabetes UK Chief Executive, Barbara Young, was disappointed there was no clear plan to make improvements in diabetes care a reality.

She said, "While we welcome the fact that the Government has largely accepted the damning conclusions of the Public Accounts Committee’s report and has identified some targets for what needs to happen, it is unclear how this improvement will be achieved. Another five years to deliver modest improvements in the quality of care that people with diabetes receive does not reflect the urgency and priority of this, one of the biggest health challenges of our time.

Public campaign ruled out

"We are also disappointed that the Government has ruled out a public campaign to stem the rising tide of diabetes. Given the rapid rise in the number of people with Type 2 diabetes, this kind of campaign from which heart disease, stroke and the cancers have benefited, is badly needed. Why not for diabetes, which is now four times more prevalent than all the cancers combined?

"Unacceptable variations in care"

"The cancellation of the NHS Diabetes dedicated improvement service seems to contradict any statement of commitment by the Government. We hope the Action for Diabetes document will set out the plan for what will be delivered but worry that there is no commitment by the NHS Commissioning Board to implement it and take action to eradicate the unacceptable variations in care that have existed for years."

Children and Families Bill

Diabetes UK is currently working on improving the Children and Families Bill which is in the process of going through the House of Commons.

Part of the Children and Families Bill will update the law on providing care and support in schools for children with Special Educational Needs. However, the Bill does not take into account children with health conditions such as diabetes, and we believe that it needs to do so.

At the moment there is no legal requirement for schools to provide the care and support children with diabetes and other health conditions need. This can lead to children and young people being excluded from certain lessons and activities, and parents having to go into school to help look after their child.

Our briefing on the Children and Families Bill (PDF, 1MB) gives more information about the problems children with diabetes and other health conditions face in school, and how we think the Bill should be improved.

Health Minister hears test strips concerns

After Diabetes UK began hearing stories from people with Type 1 diabetes who were only being prescribed limited amounts of test strips by their GPs, the All Party Parliamentary Group for diabetes examined the problem at its most recent meeting.

Health Minister Anna Soubry MP was present to hear about this recent development which has left some people having to buy their own test strips in order to manage their condition. The Department for Health is now investigating the issue.