More Lincolnshire diabetes patients getting important health checks

EMBARGOED TO 0001 WEDNESDAY JUNE 15 File photo dated 03/10/14 of a nurse giving a patient a diabetes test. Soaring obesity levels among children have led to a "concerning climb" in the number diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a charity has said. Diabetes UK warned that the cost-of-living crisis could lead to further problems in years to come. Issue date: Wednesday June 15, 2022.

More diabetes patients in Lincolnshire received important annual health checks in 2021, new figures show.

But across England, check-up rates have fallen dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic, and Diabetes UK said missing health checks can be "absolutely devastating", potentially leading to life-altering complications and early death.

The concerning figures come as Diabetes Awareness Week marks an annual campaign to inform the almost 5 million people with diabetes in the UK about the health risks it can cause.

To help limit the impact of diabetes, patients are expected to undergo eight annual health checks, including analysing their body mass index, smoking status, blood pressure and cholesterol.

NHS Digital figures show 25% of 865 type 1 diabetes patients registered with GPs in the NHS Lincolnshire CCG received all eight health checks in 2021 – up from 18% the previous year.

For the 18,085 type 2 patients in the area, this figure rose to 37%, from 27% in 2020.

Nationally, just 26% of type 1 and 39% of type 2 patients completed the eight checks – respectively up from 19% and 29% in 2020 but still below pre-pandemic levels of 31% and 50%.

An NHS-commissioned report published this year said more than 3,000 people with diabetes in England died during the pandemic due to the drastic drop in patients receiving their annual check-ups.