Covid-caused care backlog is putting diabetes sufferers' lives at risk in Cornwall
The backlog caused by covid is putting lives at risk according to a charity
Last updated 20th Apr 2022
The lives of thousands of people suffering from diabetes are being put at risk due to a backlog in care caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, a charity has warned.
Diabetes UK says that almost half of people with diabetes had difficulties managing their condition last year, according to their survey of more than 10,000 people.
The charity has urged the Government to get services back on track before lives are “needlessly lost”.
Around 34,000 people across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have diabetes,
More than 45% of the people in the Duchy who took the survey attributed the difficulties managing their condition partly to a lack of access to healthcare, which can prevent serious illness and early mortality from the cardiovascular complications of diabetes.
Nationally, one in three had no contact with healthcare professionals about their diabetes in 2021, while one in six have still not had contact since before the coronavirus pandemic, the charity said.
Previous NHS figures showed that just 36% of diabetes sufferers in England received all their recommended checks in 2020-21, compared with 57% in 2019-20.
National diabetes recovery plan needed
Chris Askew, chief executive of Diabetes UK, called for a national recovery plan.
He said: “If people with diabetes cannot receive the care they need, they can risk devastating, life-altering complications and, sadly, early death.
“We know the NHS has worked tirelessly to keep us safe throughout the pandemic, but the impacts on care for people living with diabetes have been vast.
“While the UK Government has been focused on cutting waiting lists for operations and other planned care, people with diabetes have been pushed to the back of the queue.
“Urgent action is now required, which is why we’re calling on UK Government to implement a recovery plan for diabetes care.
“We need to get this essential, life-saving care back on track, or lives will be needlessly lost.”
Deprived areas had worse results in survey
The survey findings, which were published as part of the charity’s Diabetes Is Serious campaign, also revealed that people from the most deprived parts of the country were nearly twice as likely to have had no contact with their healthcare team since before the pandemic than those in the least deprived.
Former England footballer Gary Mabbutt, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 40 years and is backing the campaign, said: “I know from my own experience that complications from diabetes can be absolutely devastating, taking a heavy toll on people with diabetes and those close to them.
“For people with diabetes accessing vital care has been a huge challenge during the pandemic and continues to be as this report shows.”
Some 4.9 million – or one in 14 – people are living with diabetes in the UK.
Government's response to the survey
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:
“We recognise the seriousness of diabetes and the new challenges brought about by pandemic – and we have set out our plan to tackle the Covid backlog and deliver long term recovery and reform, backed by our record investment.
“We have made £520 million available to improve GP access which will support the recovery of routine care for patients with diabetes and other long term conditions.
“Our diabetes programmes are helping prevent those at risk from developing the condition, through supporting them to live healthier lives as part of our mission to level up the health of the nation and tackle disparities.”