Outstanding Diabetes Rating Must Translate Into Better Patient Outcomes Says MP

Beverley and Holderness MP, Graham Stuart, welcomed the announcement that East Riding CCG has been awarded an ‘Outstanding’ rating from NHS England for its work to improve diabetes awareness and staff training, but stressed that this means little if local patients are not seeing improvements as a result.

Graham has mounted a strong campaign to reduce the number of diabetes-related amputations in the East Riding, which in recent years has experienced the second-highest number of amputations across Yorkshire and the North. Last year, Graham hosted a diabetes summit for charities and healthcare providers in order to develop a strategy aimed at lowering these worrying figures.

In the months since, Graham has been pleased to see the CCG recognise the need for change and implement a range of ideas to improve public awareness over diabetes and to widen staff training which highlights the importance of early referral and diagnoses. In these areas, the CCG is now performing above national performance targets.

Graham, however, said that this was only a step in the right direction, and that the CCG must now focus on improving outcomes for diabetes patients across the East Riding. With the number of adults in the area suffering from diabetes due to almost double to 30,000 by 2035, the campaigning MP said it is vital that sufficient services are put in place to deal with the rising demand.

Graham has written to Jane Hawkard, Chief Officer of the CCG, to ask whether the CCG’s welcome advances in public awareness and staff training are being translated into fewer diabetes-related amputations.

Following recommendations from the 2017 summit, he also wants to ensure podiatry services, which carry out vital screening checks for diabetes patients, are properly staffed. Graham recently supported the successful campaign to save podiatry services at the Rosedale Unit in Hedon, and stated in his letter to Ms Hawkard that the CCG must not only maintain but also increase the staff numbers at these crucial departments.

Graham said: “I welcome the clear progress that the CCG is making to raise the profile of diabetes in the East Riding, but my focus is on bringing down the number of amputations that often result from delayed diagnoses or referral. Up to 80% of diabetes patients die within five years of having an amputation, so this is an incredibly important issue that the CCG needs to address.

“I have written to Jane Hawkard to establish whether the CCG’s improvement to public awareness and treatment rates are being converted, most importantly, into fewer amputations and a better quality of life for diabetes patients in Beverley and Holderness.”