Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) is urging patients with type 2 diabetes to access specialist services, after figures showed that approximately 40,000 people in the county had the condition.
The LCHS diabetes service supports patients with the condition to improve their lifestyle through referrals to weight management, smoking cessation and exercise programmes. The service also provides education to people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes to help them self manage their condition and understand risk factors associated with the condition.
Rosemary Coffey, diabetes complex case manager at LCHS, said: ‘LCHS provides group education and support for people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes called “Spotlight on Diabetes”. The sessions are designed to help people understand and manage their diabetes to reduce the risks of complications. People can get referred to this service through their GP practice.’
The call for people in Lincolnshire to be checked for diabetes and use the LCHS service if they are diagnosed comes after a report by Public Health England found that as many as five million people in England were at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The need for better management of the condition was emphasised in a recent analysis by Diabetes UK which found that the NHS treats nearly 200,000 complications of the condition each year.
Ms Coffey added: ‘I advise people to get checked out quickly if they feel they have developed any symptoms of diabetes as early detection of the condition is important as it will only worsen if left untreated. Symptoms of diabetes include; frequent urinating, unexplained weight loss, tiredness and feeling thirsty more regularly than usual.’