NHS in Dorset spends £52 more on diabetes drugs than it did five years ago

[Northerner]

THE NHS in Dorset spends £52 more on diabetes drugs per patient than it did five years ago, figures reveal.

The charity Diabetes UK says the disease is “one of our biggest health crises”, and the health service allocated more than £1 billion in the last financial year alone to devices and drugs to deal with it.

NHS Digital figures show that Dorset CCG forked out £15.6 million on prescribing medicines for diabetes in 2018-19 – an average of £352 on each patient, up from £300 in 2013-14.

Across England, the average spend was £328 last year.

With spend varying between different parts of the country, Diabetes UK policy manager Nikki Joule said: “There are, of course, multiple factors to consider, but it is of greater concern that the areas that spend less may not be ensuring everyone is on the most effective medications for them.

https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/18162763.nhs-dorset-spends-52m-diabetes-drugs-five-years-ago/

 

[Andy HB]

Hang on a second. An increase of £52 per patient over a period of 5 years. That's not far off just a basic inflationary increase.

I think the bigger story is the increase in the number of people with Diabetes. That's the problem. Not a £52 per patient increase. This is what annoys me about the media these days.

 

[Drummer]

I am in Dorset - on diagnosis I was put straight onto two medications which I did not need, and almost put me into a care home.
All the advice I received since has been to take tablets, so the health crisis is of their own making.

 

[mikeyB]

I agree with Andy. This a non-story. It may well be that they have a couple of patients in Dorset who actually get Libre sensor prescriptions. And it’s a bit hard on diabetes, there’s lots of other chronic conditions with higher annual costs.