Diabetes

Diabetes affects people of all ages, it is a leading cause of blindness in the UK and the number of people affected by diabetes is increasing.

Diabetes is classed into two main types referred to as ‘type 1 diabetes’ and ‘type 2 diabetes’.

Type 1 diabetes occurs due to the body’s own autoimmune response which causes the destruction of insulin producing cells. Type 1 diabetes occurs due to the body’s own autoimmune response which causes the destruction of insulin producing cells, treatment is by insulin injections. Type 1 diabetes is usually identified in the teen years. Within the West Midlands Type 1 diabetes accounts for between 5.8 – 9.1% of all people with diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes occurs due to insufficient amounts of insulin being produced. It is largely managed by diet. Type 2 diabetes occurs largely in adults but is becoming increasingly seen in younger age groups due to higher levels of obesity. Type 2 diabetes accounts for between 85 – 95% of all people with diabetes.

Diabetes has a huge impact on life expectancy with Type 1 diabetes reducing an individual’s life expectancy by at least 15 years and Type 2 diabetes by up to 10 years(1).

Reference

1 Department of Health - About Diabetes [Online]. 2007 [Cited February 2008]. Available from URL:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Diabetes/DH_074762

Images from the NHS Photo Library

Data

Publication and policy documents from DH and elsewhere

  • National service framework (NSF) for diabetes
    The National Service Framework for Diabetes is in two parts:

    The first part, published in December 2001, sets out the first ever set of national standards to develop a patient-centred service, improve health outcomes for people with diabetes in England, raise the quality of services, and reduce unacceptable variations between them.

    The second part - The Diabetes NSF Delivery Strategy, published in 2003 - sets out national targets against which local NHS performance towards these standards can be judged, such as:

    • routine screening for diabetic retinopathy, a vision impairment which can result from diabetes, and
    • updated patient registers compiled by GP practices so that people with diabetes receive proactive care and appropriate advice and treatment in line with NSF standards.
  • NSF Delivery Strategy for Diabetes
    Diabetes key publications page from the Department of Health website.
Links to important organisation(s)

  • Department of Health – Diabetes
    The DH have produced a list of some key documents related to diabetes.
  • Diabetes UK
    Diabetes UK is the largest organisation in the UK working for people with diabetes, funding research, campaigning and helping people live with the condition.
  • NHS Diabetes (NDST)
    NHS Diabetes (previously the National Diabetes Support Team) is part of NHS Diabetes & Kidney Care, a national team that works with frontline staff in both the diabetes and kidney communities to implement the respective National Service Frameworks.
    The role of NHS Diabetes is to work with and support the diabetes community to help them design, commission and deliver safe, high quality and personalised diabetes services to every person with diabetes in England.
  • NHS direct: Health encyclopaedia: Diabetes
    NHS direct provides information about diabetes in terms of care.
  • NHS Evidence - Diabetes
    NHS Evidence - diabetes is a unique resource aimed at supporting healthcare professionals by providing high quality information on all aspects of diabetes including both clinical and organisational issues.
  • Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory: Diabetes A-Z
    Diabetes is a lead topic area of the YHPHO, they have produced a number of useful resources around diabetes.