To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the long-term approach to diabetes.
Answered on
16 April 2018
The long-term approach to diabetes involves both seeking to reduce the increase in the prevalence of diabetes and, for those with diabetes, seeking to reduce the likelihood of developing complications and improving overall levels of treatment and care.
Work to reduce the increase in future prevalence of type 2 diabetes is being delivered through the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme. By 2020, the programme will support up to 100,000 people at high risk of type 2 diabetes each year across England. Those referred will get tailored, personalised support over at least nine months to achieve a healthy weight, improve nutrition and increase levels of physical activity in order to reduce risks of developing type 2 diabetes.
Work on reducing the likelihood of those with diabetes developing complications is through the diabetes treatment and care programme. This focuses on four key interventions:
- Increasing attendance at structured education by both those newly diagnosed with diabetes and those who have had the condition for a longer period;
- Increasing achievement of the diabetes treatment targets and reducing variation in achievement of these targets between clinical commissioning groups and between general practitioner practices;
- Reducing the levels of amputations by increasing the availability of multidisciplinary footcare teams; and
- Reducing lengths of inpatient stay for people with diabetes by increasing the availability of diabetes inpatient specialist nurses.