A new study has found that diabetes patients are not being given proper care in the NHS and has said that steps must be taken to address the issues. 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.

NAO head Amyas Morse said, “The Department of Health has failed to deliver diabetes care to the standard it set out as long ago as 2001. This has resulted in people with diabetes developing avoidable complications, in a high number of preventable deaths and in increased costs for the NHS.”