MPs call for action on diabetes

Hundreds of MPs joined the charity Diabetes UK this week to call on Tony Blair to improve care for people with diabetes.
The move comes before the GovernmentÕs National Service Framework for diabetes is published later this year. It has been recommended that optics becomes involved in monitoring diabetic retinopathy within a national screening programme.
Diabetes Pledges attracted support from 554 representatives from the House of Commons, Scottish Parliament, the Welsh and Northern Irish Assemblies.
More than half of the CommonsÕ 659 MPs supported the move to highlight that too many people were being diagnosed too late and were not getting appropriate levels of care.
Alan Milburn, heath secretary, said: ÔThe National Service Framework for diabetes will ensure people get the care they deserve.Õ