State of the nation report 2012
Diabetes UK Cymru’s State of the Nation 2012 report provides an assessment of diabetes care in Wales. It collects the latest data and information and paints a mixed picture of how well people with diabetes are supported and the quality of the care they receive.
‘The challenge of diabetes in Wales has been officially recognised since 2003, when the National Service Framework for Diabetes set out a vision for services to be delivered by 2013. We are now at the end of 2012 and this vision is far from being achieved.
There have been some demonstrable improvements in services since the start of the delivery plan with some good practice and effective interventions in place in some areas of the country. However, services are geographically very variable and there are still significant numbers of people with diabetes who do not have access to the agreed essential standards of care’.
The challenge
There are now 160,000 people living with diabetes in Wales and a further 66,000 who have diabetes but don’t know it.
There has been a huge growth in complication rates during this time. Diabetes is now the biggest single cause of amputation, stroke, working age blindness, and end-stage kidney failure. Diabetes is growing out of control, and current spending accounts for around 10 per cent of the National Health Service (NHS) budget.
What's the solution?
* Increased levels of awareness of the signs and symptoms of diabetes and its serious consequences.
* Programmes of risk assessment and early diagnosis, to ensure that people aren't living for years with undiagnosed diabetes.
* Effective education for all people with diabetes, so ensuring they can effectively manage their condition.
* All people with diabetes to receive the agreed essential care standards to reduce complications, costs and premature death.
* Investment of the almost £500m currently spent on diabetes care more wisely to deliver the above and save money and heartache.
Ministers and the NHS need to recognise that we are in a state of crisis.
The National Service Framework on Diabetes concludes next year and many of its standards have not been achieved. An urgent national grip needs to be taken of the situation’.
To download the State of the Nation 2012, click here