The number of people being diagnosed with diabetes in Wales is rising so fast that there are fears the NHS will struggle to cope. There has been a 9.4% increase in the numbers being treated for diabetes in just two years, taking the number of diabetics to 167,000 with that figure predicted to reach 250,000 by 2025.
However, the charity, Diabetes UK Cymru, says another 350,000 people in Wales have higher than normal blood glucose levels and are at risk of developing the chronic condition because they are in what is known as pre-diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder where the body cannot produce enough or any insulin, leading to dangerous levels of glucose in the blood.
The increase in the number of cases of diabetes is thought to be caused by the rise in obesity and a lack of enough exercise. The condition can cause complications such as eye damage, heart disease and potential risks to the kidneys and nerves. It can also cause strokes while many people with the condition are at risk of losing a foot because of nerve damage.
The Welsh government and NHS are consulting on a new action plan, which they hope will become effective from June 2013, but in the meantime the health committee of the Welsh Assembly is conducting its own inquiry into diabetes services. The cost of treating diabetes in Wales is around half a billion pounds every year and there are concerns that there are not enough medical professionals to educate the public about the risks of the disease and also to treat those already diagnosed.
The action plan will encompass not only diabetes services but also introducing preventative measures to cut the number of cases and to reduce the risk of complications arising from the condition.
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