§ Mr. SandersTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list by region the number of NHS bed days taken up by patients with diabetic foot complications in each of the last three years for which figures are available; [41139]
(2) if he will list by region the number of (a) major and (b) below the knee amputations carried out in the NHS as a consequence of diabetes in each of the last three years for which figures are available; [41135]
507W(3) if he will list by region the number of acute medical admissions as a result of diabetic foot complications in each of the last three years for which figures are available; [41138]
(4) what progress his Department has made in meeting the 1989 St. Vincent's Declaration target in respect of half-limb amputations due to diabetic gangrene; [41137]
(5) if he will list by region the number of NHS specialist diabetic foot clinics; [41136]
(6) if he will list by region the number of recorded diabetic foot ulcers treated by the NHS in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [41140]
§ Mr. MilburnWe are committed to improving health services for people with diabetes. The 1995 report of the St. Vincent Joint Task Force for Diabetes made recommendations about good clinical and management practice in eleven key areas. The Department issued service guidance to the National Health Service in November 1997 on "Key features of a good diabetes service" (Health Service Guidelines HSG(97)45). We have also commissioned clinical guidelines and other clinical effectiveness materials for diabetes, which we expect to be completed by the end of 1999. These will cover prevention and treatment of diabetic foot complications.
The Department welcomes the recent launch of the "Focus on Feet" campaign by the British Diabetic Association, the Royal College of Nursing and the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. We hope that it will be successful in raising awareness of the importance of preventative foot care for people with diabetes.
Information is not collected centrally on the number of NHS specialist diabetic foot clinics. The available information on NHS in-patient treatment has been placed in the Library. It is based on episodes of individual treatment by consultants.