§ Lord Harrisonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How much diabetes types 1 and 2 cost the National Health Service annually; whether they will institute a universal screening programme for type 2 11WA diabetes; and whether they will provide funding for the self-monitoring of blood glucose for those with type 2 diabetes. [HL4575]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner)The recent report by WanlessSecuring good health for the whole population: Final report—February 2004 states that the total cost of treating type 1 and type 2 diabetes is £1.3 billion per year.
The evidence does not support general population screening for type 2 diabetes. There is emerging evidence to suggest that it may be clinically and cost effective to screen specific sub-groups of the population who are at high risk of developing diabetes. The National Service Framework for Diabetes: Delivery Strategy committed the UK National Screening Committee (NSC) to advise the Department of Health by 2005 on the most effective policy for screening for type 2 diabetes. The NSC is undertaking a project to assess the feasibility of screening in primary care those at greatest risk of diabetes.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidance of management of type 2 diabetes—blood glucose in September 2002. Funding to meet recommendations of the NICE has been included in the allocations made to primary care trusts for the period 2003–04 to 2005–06. However, this funding is not separately identified. The total of PCT allocations is £45 billion for 2003–04, £49.3 billion for 2004–05 and £53.9 billion for 2005–06. This represents an increase of £12.7 billion or an average of 30.8 per cent over the three years 2003–04 to 2005–06. Therefore the Secretary of State for Health expects patients treated under the criteria in the NICE guidance to have their therapy funded by the PCT trust.
§ Lord Harrisonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What special measures they will introduce for those in the Asian population over 60 who contract diabetes. [HL4576]
§ Lord WarnerThe Government are aware that people of south Asian origin are up to six times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
The explicit objectives of the National Service Framework for Diabetes include the provision of services that are person centred, enabling people with diabetes to adopt a healthier lifestyle and to manage their own diabetes through education and support that recognises the importance of lifestyle, culture and religion, and where necessary, tackles the adverse impact of material disadvantage and social exclusion. Services should be equitable, planned to meet the needs of the population, including specific groups within the population, and appropriate to needs of the individual. Therefore, primary care trusts will need to develop services that reflect these principles by looking at diversity and need in their own populations.