Health boards ignoring Welsh diabetes epidemic

A committee of Welsh Assembly members has warned that the Welsh government needs to take the lead in tackling how diabetes is managed in Wales.
The Welsh Assembly committee, lead by Vaughan Gething AM, has produced a report which follows up targets to manage diabetes that were published 10 years ago by the Welsh government.
The report urges the Welsh government to be firmer in how it monitors the availability of services, such as screening for complications, that people with diabetes need access to and calls for a more co-ordinated approach between GPs, pharmacies and health teams.
National Director of Diabetes UK Cymru, Dai Williams noted that health boards had largely allowed diabetes to go ignored and that they need to take on board and go ahead and implement the recommendations made in the report.
Complications as a result of diabetes represent 87% of the total cost of diabetes for the NHS in Wales. Provision of diabetes services and education across the Welsh population is needed to reduce the impact of complications on lives as well as health budgets.
The Welsh government is currently preparing a Diabetes Delivery Plan and Welsh Health Minister Mark Drakeford is expected to respond formally to the Welsh Assembly committee in light of their recommendations.