Audit shows children with diabetes not receiving sufficient care

The National Diabetes Paediatric Audit has found that over 85 per cent of children and young people with diabetes in England and Wales are not reaching recommended levels of blood glucose. The audit, which was published yesterday by the NHS Information Centre, provides information on the levels of care that young people suffering from type 1 diabetes in the UK receive.
The figures show that there are now up to 20,000 diabetic children who are not getting sufficient care to achieve good control of their blood glucose. This factor puts them at risk of potentially life-threatening complications later in life if crucial steps are not taken to assist their diabetes management . It was also revealed that the highest proportion of people with high levels of blood glucose in their body were aged between 12 and 24.
In response, the leading charity Diabetes UK has called for interventions to improve diabetes care and management, and is looking for applications that help to overcome barriers to effective diabetes care and/or supported self-management .
Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, commented “The results of this audit cannot leave us in any doubt that urgent action is needed to improve diabetes care and management for children and young people.”
She added “As part of our major research call, Diabetes UK is calling on healthcare professionals and researchers to submit innovative research proposals that will specifically look into overcoming barriers to patient engagement, such as teenage non-attendance or projects to help patients achieve good blood glucose control.”