According to a new report, flaws in the diabetic care in the NHS causes 24,000 unnecessary deaths every year. The National Audit Office (NAO) found that there was a huge difference in the quality of care from one region to another.

It was found that in some regions only about 6 per cent patients received the recommended levels of care compared to 69 per cent of the patients in other regions. Mid Essex and Swindon PCTs were among the worst performers where only 9 per cent of patients received nine basic tests which are recommended by the Department of Health (DH).

Only about half of the patients in England received the recommended standards of care in 2009 to 2010, it found. None of the PCT delivered the nine basic care processes that are required to reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications such as blindness, amputation or kidney disease.

Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said, "This report shows that diabetes healthcare in England is not meeting the challenge and that much of the colossal amount of money being spent on it is being wasted. But by using the money we already spend on diabetes more wisely, we could stop 24,000 people dying unnecessarily every year."

She also said that action is needed to address the issues with the healthcare.