Life

Rise in diabetes could 'bring down' NHS

Testing for diabetes
Testing for diabetes Testing for diabetes

DIABETES "threatens to bring down the NHS", Diabetes UK has warned, as an additional 1.2 million adults are now living with the condition compared to ten years ago.

The figures, extracted from NHS data and analysed by the charity, show that 3,333,069 people have been diagnosed with the disease.

Diabetes UK warned that there is an urgent need for effective care for sufferers, while more must be done to highlight the importance of prevention.

Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, explained: "Over the past decade, the number of people living with diabetes in the UK has increased by over one million people.

"With a record number of people now living with diabetes in the UK, there is no time to waste - the Government must act now. We need to see more people with diabetes receiving the eight care processes recommended by Nice.

"It is unacceptable that a third of people living with the condition do not currently get these, putting them at increased risk of developing complications, such as amputations, heart attack or stroke."

She added: "Diabetes already costs the NHS nearly £10 billion a year, and 80 per cent of this is spent on managing avoidable complications. So there is huge potential to save money and reduce pressure on NHS hospitals and services through providing better care to prevent people with diabetes from developing devastating and costly complications.

The charity predicts that if current trends continue, five million people will have diabetes by 2025.