World Diabetes Day takes place on 14 November, and in 2011 we called on people with diabetes to take action on the 15 healthcare essentials.
People with diabetes are at risk of devastating complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and amputation. Yet many of these can be prevented if people with the condition regularly receive all the vital 15 healthcare checks and specialist services they need to stay healthy. That’s why Diabetes UK launched its 15 healthcare essentials campaign, which outlines the minimum standards of care people with diabetes should receive on an annual basis, as well as the specialist services they should be able to access.
You can support us by helping to promote our new 15 healthcare essentials checklist (PDF, 164KB). Please pass the checklist on to any family members, friends and colleagues who may have the condition to help us ensure the 2.9 million people with diabetes in the UK receive the care they need to stay healthy.
Comedian Joe Pasquale lent his support to our new campaign. Joe said, "My family has been touched by diabetes and I’ve seen first hand the impact these complications can have on a person’s life and those closest to them. That’s why I’m encouraging people to support Diabetes UK on World Diabetes Day by promoting the charity’s new 15 healthcare essentials campaign.
"If you or someone close to you has diabetes make sure you take action on World Diabetes Day by downloading Diabetes UK’s 15 healthcare essentials checklist to ensure you are receiving the care you deserve."
Further information
Find out more about the 15 healthcare essentials.
Download a copy of the 15 healthcare essentials checklist (PDF, 164KB).
For further information, visit the official World Diabetes Day website.
Self-Care Week
World Diabetes Day also takes place during Self-Care Week (14–20 November), which encourages people to take care of themselves. This is vital, as self-care and management can greatly help to improve the quality of diabetes care. For more information, visit www.selfcareforum.org.