The number of people with diabetes in Bath and North East Somerset is set to increase by around 18 per cent by 2020, and a number of local organisations are coming together this week to plan ahead to give the best care possible.
On Friday 27th November, organisations providing diabetes care across B&NES are getting together to look at ways of improving care.
Rosemary Carroll, Sirona’s Head of Specialist Nursing Services, has organised the workshop taking place in Bath. She said: “The aim is to look at improving ways of working with individuals themselves as well as other organisations.
“We want to ensure the individual is at the heart of the service and we have a joined up approach to care; all of which were identified as key priorities in the recent your care your way review of services carried out by the B&NES Clinical Commissioning Group and B&NES Council.
“We want to discuss and understand what is currently provided, identify any problems or barriers for people in accessing what is currently on offer and what else could be offered.
“We hope by the end of the workshop to have a better understanding of diabetes education across Bath & North East Somerset and identify areas where we could join up services to provide a broader range of choice for those living with diabetes.”
Latest figures show the number of people diagnosed with diabetes is predicted to increase to more than 9,000 by 2020; currently 7000 plus have the lifelong condition where an individual’s blood sugar level becomes too high.
Rosemary said: “Diabetes can be managed through lifestyle changes and medication but can also lead to serious complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness and loss of limbs.
“The numbers of diabetes patients, especially those with type 2 diabetes, is set to continue to rise by four per cent each year, particularly among younger members of the population.”
The workshop in Bath will see representatives of the Diabetes Education team within Sirona, the team at the Royal United Hospital, Sirona’s Healthy Lifestyles Service, the Retinol screening programme, Podiatry, Dietetics, practice nurses and GPS, Diabetes UK and the Wellbeing College.
