Bid to tackle huge rise in diabetes on Fylde coast

Health chiefs are rolling out plans to tackle the growing diabetes problem on the Fylde coast.
More than 10-people-a-week are diagnosed with diabetes on the Fylde coastMore than 10-people-a-week are diagnosed with diabetes on the Fylde coast
More than 10-people-a-week are diagnosed with diabetes on the Fylde coast

More than 10 people are being diagnosed with the condition every week across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre.

A new programme of personalise support to at risk patients is being rolled out across Lancashire.

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The care is aimed at preventing people developing type two diabetes, which is typically associated with obesity.

Dr Tony Naughton, chief clinical officer at NHS Fylde and Wyre Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “This is fantastic news for people living in Lancashire who are at risk of developing type two diabetes.

“We have to remember that this disease is largely preventable and people can significantly reduce their risk simply by making some small lifestyle changes.”

Figures show there were 19,681 people living with diabetes on the Fylde coast last year. It is thought at least 85 per cent of those have type two diabetes.

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Since 2013, 1,679 people have been diagnosed with diabetes – 972 in Blackpool and 707 in Fylde and Wyre. Of those, 522 were last year.

Dr Naughton added: “The NHS diabetes prevention programme puts people in control of their own health by supporting them to lose weight through regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet.

“There are nearly 46,000 people in Lancashire who are believed to be at high risk of developing the potentially life-threatening condition – we want to do all we can to support as many people as possible to prevent type two diabetes from taking hold.”

People from Lancashire referred by their GP on to the programme – which will be delivered locally by Reed Momenta, a national provider of lifestyle and wellbeing programmes – will get tailored, help to reduce their risk.

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This will include education on healthy eating and lifestyle choices, reducing weight through bespoke physical exercise programmes and portion control, which together have been proven to reduce the risk of developing the disease.

Professor Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England’s national clinical director for diabetes and obesity, said: “Tackling diabetes is one of the biggest healthcare challenges of our time, as the number of people with type two diabetes continues to rise.”

He said the NHS was going to ‘great lengths’ to keep people healthy.

Chris Askew, chief executive of Diabetes UK said: “With three million people diagnosed with diabetes in England, it is right that the NHS is helping them avoid complications such as amputations, heart attacks and strokes.”