Poor diabetes care may be behind 7,000 excess deaths

Delayed health checks among people with diabetes may have contributed to 7,000 more deaths than usual in England last year, a charity report suggests.

The routine checks help cut the risk of serious complications like amputations and heart attacks.

Diabetes UK says too many people are still being "left to go it alone" when managing their challenging condition.

There are more than five million people in the UK living with diabetes, but around 1.9 million missed out on routine vital checks in 2021-22, Diabetes UK says.

Disruption to care during the pandemic is likely to be a factor in the current backlog, which may be leading to higher numbers of deaths than usual in people with diabetes, it says.

Between January and March 2023, for example, there were 1,461 excess deaths involving diabetes - three times higher than during the same period last year.

"Urgent action is needed to reverse this trend and support everyone living with diabetes to live well with the condition," the report says.

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Source: BBC News, 10 May 2023