A third of people with diabetes who are admitted to hospital experience a medication error during their stay, according to Diabetes UK.
The figure is one of many laid out in the charity’s Facts and Stats update. The statistics can help to inform and improve diabetes care within the UK.
The charity reports that a quarter of people with diabetes struggle to get the medication or equipment they need to manage their diabetes. A quarter of people are not prescribed the amount of test strips they need.
Nearly two-thirds of people with diabetes do not fully understand their condition. Fewer than 20 per cent of those who have type 1 diabetes and 40 per cent with type 2 are meeting the recommended treatment targets.
Diabetes UK’s chief executive Chris Askew said: “Millions of [type 2 diabetes] cases could be prevented if we help people understand their risk and how to reduce it.
“Even though the older people get the more likely they are to have [type 2 diabetes], it is never too early to know your risk so that you can make changes to prevent or delay it.”
Spotting the signs of diabetes early is very beneficial towards managing the condition effectively. Mr Askew said that diagnosing diabetes will mean “fewer people will experience diabetes-related complications such as sight loss, amputation, kidney failure, stroke and heart disease”.
More than 4.7 million people in the UK have diabetes and the number of people diagnosed with the condition has more than doubled in the last 20 years.
It has been predicted that by 2025 more than five million people in the UK will have diabetes if urgent action is not taken.
The NHS is aiming to tackle the rising prevalence of diabetes through increasing use of digital methods to help prevent diabetes.
The Low Carb Program is one of the key tools selected to help people at risk of type 2 diabetes from developing the condition. The program has also shown strong results in helping people with type 2 diabetes achieve healthy blood glucose levels and reduce their dependence on diabetes medication.

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