Over 400,000 diabetic patients not having annual foot check

According to new information released by Diabetes UK, over 400,000 diabetes patients are not getting their annual foot check, despite the checks being crucial in the prevention of diabetes-linked amputation.

Despite the National Institute for Health Care and Excellence advising that everyone with diabetes should have the check each year, the figures reveal that an estimated 414,784 patients are not having the check, which equates to 13.3 per cent of Type 2 diabetes patients and 27.7 per cent of Type 1 patients.

Over 100 diabetes-linked amputations are undertaken every week in the UK, with 80 per cent considered to be preventable.

Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said “We know that good diabetes care can dramatically reduce the risk of amputation. The foot check people should get at least once a year is an essential part of this and so it is worrying that more than 400,000 people with diabetes are still not getting one.

“Given the high levels of preventable diabetes-related amputations, it is unacceptable that the proportion of people getting the check has hardly changed over recent years. It is one of the reasons so many people with diabetes are forced to endure an amputation and we urgently need to get to a point where everyone with the condition is getting their annual foot check.

“But having a check is not enough on its own. When people do get foot checks, we know from the experiences people with diabetes share with us that they are often not thorough enough, with some people not even being asked to remove their shoes or socks. This is why people need to download the ‘What To Expect At Your Annual Foot Check’ leaflet and take it along to their foot checks so that they can be confident they are receiving the necessary level of good care, are being advised what their risk is and understand how to prevent problems.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Paralegal, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (karenmotley@chadlaw.co.uk ), Medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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