News from our partners: SaTH joins campaign to help prevent Type 2 Diabetes
News from our partners Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH)
The Trust that runs Shropshire’s two acute hospitals is getting behind Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week, which runs 1-7 April, and asking the public to speak to their GP practice about the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme if they think they might be at risk.
Type 2 Diabetes occurs when the level of glucose in the blood becomes too high. Symptoms include: excessive thirst, tiredness, increased urine frequency, headaches and trouble with concentration. The condition can affect individuals at any age, particularly if they are overweight and spend a lot of time sitting down and not getting much exercise. But, as many of the signs affect individuals without the condition too, they are easy to overlook or ignore.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), along with NHS England, Diabetes UK and Public Health England, is this week working to raise awareness of the causes and complications of Type 2 Diabetes and promoting the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, which helps those at risk of Type 2 Diabetes to reduce the risk by managing their weight and adopting a healthier lifestyle.
Erica Richardson, Lead Diabetes Specialist Nurse at SaTH, said:
“Type 2 Diabetes can cause long-term health problems, including damage to almost all organs in the body. However, by eating a healthy, balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly, the majority of cases can be prevented.
“Prevention is always better than cure and by simply taking steps towards a healthier life you can make a huge difference to your health. Please do not wait until you have an established condition before seeking help. By the time we see patients at SaTH they are already dealing with many of the complications related to Type 2 Diabetes.
“If you are invited to join the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, please take up the offer. To find out more about the programme, ask a member of your GP practice team or visit www.england.nhs.uk/ndpp
“You can find out their risk of Type 2 diabetes by using the Diabetes UK Know Your Risk Score at https://riskscore.diabetes.org.uk “
Erica has also written on the subject of Type 2 Diabetes. Her blog can be found after this article.
Dr Probal Moulik, Clinical Director in Endocrinology, said:
“There are currently 3.4 million people with Type 2 Diabetes in England, and around 45,000 people living with the condition across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.
“The treatment of Diabetes and its complications costs the NHS £25,000 every minute, around 10% of the entire NHS budget, yet, for most people, the condition can be prevented.
“It is crucial that we take steps to guard against Diabetes before a diagnosis is given. With the help of your local GP practice and the Diabetes Prevention Programme, you can take steps towards a healthier, Diabetes-free life.”
Blog
Type 2 Diabetes – don’t dismiss the signs
By Erica Richardson, Lead Diabetes Specialist Nurse at SaTH
Erica Richardson
April 1 marks the beginning of Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week so I wanted to take the opportunity to highlight the condition and how we can all work to keep it at bay.
In Type 2 diabetes the level of blood glucose may vary and it often becomes too high. This causes symptoms including; excessive thirst, tiredness, increased urine frequency, recurrent infection, slow healing and blurred vision, headaches and trouble with concentration. The condition can affect individuals at any age, particularly if they are overweight and sedentary.
The number of people living with Type 2 Diabetes is growing rapidly year on year and many living with the condition don’t even know they have it. This is because some people don’t get any symptoms, whilst many do, but associate them with a busy lifestyle or getting older.
Often people do not understand the risks associated with Type 2 Diabetes and therefore do not seek help and may live with it for a considerable time before any interventions are made.
There are an estimated 12.3 million people at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in the UK. Around 45,000 individuals across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin are living with the condition and at any given time around 20% of the beds at our two hospitals will have a person with diabetes occupying them.
By the time these individuals are admitted to hospital they have often developed complex conditions and diabetes-related complications. As blood feeds all organs in the body, in diabetes there is a potential for all areas of the body to be affected.
Often we detect problems with elevated blood glucose when reviewing someone’s eyes, their bloods for kidney function and Lipids and foot sensations. In 2014/15 to 2016/17 alone there were 208 amputations in our hospitals as a result of diabetic complications.
Type 2 Diabetes costs the NHS over £1.5m an hour, accounting for approximately 10% of the entire NHS budget for England and Wales. However, this figure could be reduced significantly as the majority of people with Type 2 Diabetes could reverse the condition, not only making huge savings for the health economy, but dramatically improving their own health and quality of life.
But prevention is always better than a cure and eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly is essential to avoid developing Type 2 Diabetes in the first place.
So, what can you do to help yourself?
First and foremost, don’t dismiss the signs and symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes. If you think you might be at risk of developing the condition there are two very easy ways to do something about it:
- Take up the offer of a free NHS Health Check which will assess your risk of diabetes and other diseases
- Speak to your GP practice
As a Trust we strive to achieve good health outcomes by having an honest relationship with our patients. We encourage them to discuss their concerns, frustrations and aims. This sort of relationship helps us set realistic goals and ensures that we always remain patient-focused, but we remain a treatment facility for those who are already suffering from Type 2 Diabetes.
Please do not wait until you have an established condition before accessing help
If you want to see whether you are at risk, go to www.riskscore.diabetes.co.uk to get an estimate of your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
