Draft NICE guidance published last year caused controversy after recommending GPs go through practice records and assess diabetes risk in all patients aged over 25. It said patients at high risk – such as those with a high BMI or a family history of diabetes – and with HbA1c levels of 6.0-6.4% should have intensive lifestyle advice and annual HbA1c checks.
But the new report goes even further, recommending the same interventions for high-risk patients with an HbA1c of less than 6.0%: ‘If clinically at high risk manage as above – provide intensive lifestyle advice and monitor HbA1c annually.'
The proposals have been signed off by all the major UK diabetes organisations, including the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists, the Primary Care Diabetes Society, NHS Diabetes and Diabetes UK"
This looks great on paper but who is going to pay for it ? The NHS can’t look after the known diabetics properly. I once asked a Diabetic Nurse, why don’t all high risk patients get regularly tested. People who had excess weight or type two running through their families. Her answer, so many new diabetics would be found, the system would collapse. And what will happen if this goes ahead ? Two Metformin, eat up all your starchy carbs and don’t bother to test. And they say the NHS needs to save money. If this scheme goes ahead it will bankrupt the NHS.
Eddie
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/main-content/-/article_display_list/13579013/dh-diabetes-tsar-calls-for-gps-to-test-hba1c-annually-in-high-risk-over-25s
The proposals have been signed off by all the major UK diabetes organisations, including the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists, the Primary Care Diabetes Society, NHS Diabetes and Diabetes UK"
This looks great on paper but who is going to pay for it ? The NHS can’t look after the known diabetics properly. I once asked a Diabetic Nurse, why don’t all high risk patients get regularly tested. People who had excess weight or type two running through their families. Her answer, so many new diabetics would be found, the system would collapse. And what will happen if this goes ahead ? Two Metformin, eat up all your starchy carbs and don’t bother to test. And they say the NHS needs to save money. If this scheme goes ahead it will bankrupt the NHS.
Eddie
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/main-content/-/article_display_list/13579013/dh-diabetes-tsar-calls-for-gps-to-test-hba1c-annually-in-high-risk-over-25s
I wonder how long it will be before us diabetics have to pay for our prescriptions.
ReplyDelete"I wonder how long it will be before us diabetics have to pay for our prescriptions."
ReplyDeleteI hope it will never happen but the way things are going with NHS changes it would not surprise me if charges for diabetic scripts were brought in.
Graham
This looks fantastic on paper and what a great move forward it would be.
ReplyDeleteIt's great living in'cloud cuckoo land'
They may mean well but with the government cutbacks this will never happen.
And its about time Lansley went.
I think this would be excellent but in the current economic climate it will not be happening. We are already seeing restrictions in supplying test strips, what will be next?
ReplyDeleteJoe
This would be a very good idea, if more money was available, because the money needs to be found to be able to do it and that means something else cannot be done.
ReplyDeleteA catch 22 situation I think.
Dave