Diabetes patients want more 'say in services'

Diabetes patients want more say in the way local NHS services for their condition are run, a charity has said.

A report into care for people with diabetes suggested most were not offered education on their condition, but praised improvements in care.

Diabetes UK Scotland released the results of the survey of 1,000 people in its Better Diabetes Care report. The charity has urged the NHS to improve services, and the health of people with diabetes. About 228,000 people in Scotland have the condition.

The survey found 42% of people were not given time to talk when they were diagnosed or when a complication developed, but 72% said that this was something they would have liked. The charity said the survey highlighted the importance of emotional and psychological support.

Jane-Claire Judson, national director of Diabetes UK Scotland, said: "People diagnosed with a lifelong and complex condition like diabetes can undergo a wide range of emotions and it is important that they can access the right support at the right time."

This could involve meeting other people with diabetes or access to a clinical psychologist to deal with complex issues, she said. The survey has been released to coincide with the conference, Diabetes 2010 and Beyond: Knowledge into Practice, at Herriot Watt University, where new SIGN guidelines on diabetes will be published.

Ms Judson added: "The government's revised action plan will, we hope, be the driver for improvement across the country. However, it is the voice of people living with diabetes which really matters in making the right changes and working towards truly person-centred care."

Almost 60% of people surveyed said they would like a say in local diabetes services. The survey also found that one in eight respondents with Type 1 diabetes and one in three with Type 2 diabetes had never seen a dietician. Seven out of ten people had not been offered any diabetes education and none of the respondents from minority ethnic communities knew whether they had Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.