The new figures, extracted from official NHS data, show that there are now 3,333,069 people diagnosed with diabetes, which is an increase of more than 1.2 million adults compared with ten years ago when, in 2005, there were 2,086,041 people diagnosed with the condition. This doesn’t take into account the 590,000 adults estimated to have undiagnosed diabetes in 2013-2014.
Diabetes UK is warning that this exponential growth in numbers reflects an urgent need for effective care for people living with diabetes, as well as highlighting the importance of prevention and that failure to act on this threatens to bring down the NHS.
At present only six in ten people with diabetes in England and Wales receive the eight care processes recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care and Excellence (NICE).
These are the checks identified as essential in high quality care for people with diabetes and include getting blood pressure and blood glucose levels measured, as well as the kidney function monitored, otherwise poorly managed diabetes can lead to devastating and expensive health complications such as kidney disease, stroke and amputation.
This is why it’s critical that the government takes urgent action to ensure that everyone with diabetes receives the eight care processes, reducing their risk of further health complications and the costs these incur for the already strained NHS budget.
Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said: "Over the past decade, the number of people living with diabetes in the UK has increased by over 1 million people, which is the equivalent of the population of a small country such as Cyprus.
“With a record number of people now living with diabetes in the UK, there is no time to waste – the government must act now.
“We need to see more people with diabetes receiving the eight care processes recommended by NICE. It is unacceptable that a third of people living with the condition do not currently get these, putting them at increased risk of developing complications, such as amputations, heart attack or stroke.
“Diabetes already costs the NHS nearly £10bn a year, and 80% of this is spent on managing avoidable complications. So there is huge potential to save money and reduce pressure on NHS hospitals and services through providing better care to prevent people with diabetes from developing devastating and costly complications.
“The NHS must prioritise providing better care, along with improved and more flexible education options, for people with diabetes now, and give them the best possible chance of living long and healthy lives.
“Until then, avoidable human suffering will continue and the costs of treating diabetes will continue to spiral out of control and threaten to bankrupt the NHS. Now is the time for action.”