World Diabetes Day: Background on Diabetes

As one of the most common chronic diseases in the UK, there are two main types of diabetes, each presenting risks of complications that include blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage and cardio-vascular disease. The number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has more than doubled since 1996. Globally, the World Health organisation estimates that 422 million adults were living with diabetes in 2014. The NHS Diabetes Prevention programme is expected to roll out across the country by 2020 with 100,000 referrals available each year after. There are nine ‘care processes’ that people with diabetes should receive every year—such as blood pressure checks, eye screening, foot examinations and smoking advice—as well as three ‘treatment standards’ relating to blood glucose, pressure and cholesterol to help reduce the risk of complications. As the number of people being diagnosed with diabetes is rising, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee urge the Department for Health to improve prevention and treatment for people with diabetes.