Care standards for patients with Type 2 diabetes in Sefton have been rated as amongst the best in the region after a report by independent inspectors. Both NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG were rated as ‘Good’ by the National Diabetes Audit (NDA), one of the largest annual clinical audits in the world. 

This is the first year that the NDA has been compulsory, requiring all GP practices to report on 8 different measures of care quality. The results represent further improvement for the two CCGs who signed a pledge to improve care for people with diabetes in February 2016. The pledge, put forward by national charity Diabetes UK, included a commitment to help more people with diabetes to maintain healthy blood glucose levels, crucial in managing the condition and avoiding complications such as diabetes-related amputations.

The following year, the CCGs established a diabetes improvement group and also secured funding from NHS England for a pilot of the National Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP), the first nationwide initiative of its kind anywhere in the world.

The NDPP involves a structured education programme where people learn about how they can reduce the risk of contracting diabetes by changing their lifestyle. Since being launched in Sefton, 725 people have started on the programme with 65% losing an average of 3.2 kg and a reduction in waist circumference of 3.4cm. Diabetes accounts for around 10% of the annual NHS budget with spending currently at around £8 billion a year.

Dr Nigel Taylor, clinical lead for diabetes at NHS South Sefton CCG, said: “These results represent two years of hard work to improve the care available for people either at risk from, or living with diabetes. Diabetes is a growing problem, not just here in Sefton but all over the country, and we will be continuing our hard work to ensure people get the advice and support they need to reduce the risks associated with this disease.”

Yvonne Browne, Diabetes UK Influencing Manager for the North West, said: “We are pleased to see NHS South Sefton CCG and NHS Southport and Formby CCG working to improve the quality of diabetes care. We look forward to seeing improvements continue and to working with the CCGs to ensure better services for people living with diabetes in the local area.”