Ian tells MPs we need better diabetes foot care in hospital
Diabetes Voice Ian Piotrowsky has called on MPs to work with the NHS in their area to help prevent avoidable amputations.
Official guidance states clearly that everyone with diabetes should get a foot check as soon as they are admitted to hospital, but shockingly less than a third get these vital checks within a day of admission.
Every missed check could be a missed opportunity to prevent a potentially devastating amputation.
That’s why Diabetes Voice Ian, who has had several toes amputated himself, has been in Parliament explaining to MPs why diabetes foot checks in hospital are important. Ian explained that he wanted to make sure others did not have to go through what he did when he had his amputations.
With 20 amputations every day, four of five of which are preventable, he told MPs that we need to do everything we can do make sure fewer people lose their limbs to diabetes.
Almost 100 Diabetes Voices from around the country asked their MP to attend this special Parliamentary event on hospital diabetes foot care, with over 20 MPs coming to the event. Whilst there MPs not only heard from Ian about the reality of living with an amputation, they also got all the local information on whether hospitals in their area were performing the foot checks they should.
"I was really keen to share my story with MPs to highlight the importance of avoidable amputations," Ian explained. "I want to help others avoid what I have gone through."
Diabetes UK organised this event in Parliament to urgently address the shockingly low number of people with diabetes in hospital getting foot checks. We asked MPs at the event to work with their local hospitals to make sure that more people get the foot checks they need. Making sure this happens will be a vital step in reducing the number of avoidable amputations.
