Did you hear File on 4 tonight? 8pm. It was only 45 mins so couldn't go into a lot of detail, but it made a welcome change from the usual 'bash the diabetics' approach. Talked about the failure of many hcps to provide regular annual tests to diabetics. Didn't get on to poor dietary advice or rationing test strips though ... maybe next time. I was most shocked to hear that GPs can get maximum funding for certain tests even if they only test 50% of their patients, so not much incentive to go for 100%. The two example cases of people being failed by their hcps were really shocking, one a young type 1 woman who got food poisoning and thought that because she wasn't eating she shouldn't inject. She died, so awful. The other a type 2 man whose gp gave inadequate treatment after he stepped on a splinter, and he lost his toes as a consequence. It raised some very concerning issues and got them out on national radio which has to be a good thing
I've just listened to the podcast. Very good programme I think, and I agree with everything you say. I think what annoyed me most was the Minister who, for every question put to him, agreed that the situation was bad and then tried to suggest that the government were doing something about it by publishing reports - which clearly the PCTs aren't acting on!
Terrible that the man with the amputation wasn't picked up on when he first visited his doctor, and even worse that the girl with DKA spent time in intensive care on an insulin drip, yet still returned home not knowing about what to do about her insulin if she became ill! Shame on the nurse in the walk-in centre too, who sent her home without any advice at all and landed her in hospital in the first place. It wasn't clear, however, that she had died later from DKA or a night hypo (unless I missed something!).
Not sure about the statement that pumps are 'new devices' - a bit like saying a Sony Walkman cassette player is a 'new device'!
😱 It's ridiculous though that funding for a pump can be approved but the little boy couldn't have one because they only trained two families a year! I know pumps are complex, but how much can it cost to get someone started?
Outrageous that GPs get full payment for only testing 50% of patients - they aren't going to spend money pursuing the other 50% if it's not going to bring in more money are they?
The programme concentrated a lot on the monetary cost of lack of good care leading to expensive complications, but didn't stress enough the human cost to the lives of those affected and their loved ones. Something like this, where money spent now can save huge amounts in the future needs to be considered on a much greater timescale than annual budgets.
Overall, an excellent programme, well worth listening to.
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