Diabetes screening plan causing concern in Ireland

Mon, 12 Jan 2009
A new scheme designed to detect diabetes, that will be available to VHI members within the catchment of two Dublin hospitals, is causing concern at the Diabetes Federation of Ireland.

The screening plan has caused the DFI to arrange a meeting with VHI on 20th January to discuss the screening scheme. The DFI have raised concerns about how GPs and hospitals will handle the thousands of additional cases of diabetes.

VHI are planning to screen 57,000 members for type 2 diabetes . Following a questionnaire, the respondents will be invited to attend a screening test at their local hospital. This will include BMI measurements, blood sugar testing, lipid checking and an oral glucose tolerance test.

Kieran O’Leary of DFI reportedly commented: "We would be concerned about thousands of patients being added to the system in two specific areas of Dublin and what resources are being put in place to manage these new patients. We will also be seeking clarification on whether the newly-diagnosed patients will be managed in primary care or at hospital level and whether the patients will go into the private or the public system."

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