PCTs slow to deliver diabetes screening

A postcode lottery is developing within one of the Government's most vaunted health delivery programmes involving optometry. And 22 months on from its high-profile launch Ð personally backed by diabetes sufferer deputy prime minister John Prescott Ð there are 'major gaps' in the implementation of the National Service Framework for diabetes which includes retinopathy screening. This is according to a new report by Diabetes UK, the national charity and pressure group for the condition, which is the leading cause of blindness in the working population. Its research, carried out by an independent think-tank on healthcare provision, claims that some PCTs are slow to deliver these services to patients, and only half are providing an adequate retinopathy screening service. One of the most worrying aspects, the charity claims, is the lack of initial assessment and care of children with diabetes, with 40 per cent of PCTs currently have no written protocol in this area at all. The report, released yesterday (November 11), claims that much further work is needed to meet the target of 80 per cent of people with diabetes being offered screening that meets national screening committee standards by 2006. 'The Government's policy of putting decision making in the hands of PCTs is allowing gaps to open,' said Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK. 'Many local services are responding well but the Government cannot wash its hands of its responsibilities. Diabetes is serious. PCTs must put plans in place now to tackle it effectively. Surely preventing the long-term complications of diabetes such as heart attacks, blindness and kidney failure should be a priority for any health service?' In the research a large number of PCTs report that they do not currently provide a systematic retinal screening programme using digital cameras (50 per cent). In total, 56 per cent claim that their programme meets national screening committee standards. Although Diabetes UK's report states that the significant increase from 31 per cent to 52 per cent in the number of PCTs implementing early identification programmes in the past year is a success, it lists five major 'failures' including that only 55 per cent of PCTs are providing eye screening to the required standard despite the national target of all providing the service by 2007. A Diabetes UK spokesman said: 'There is evidence that early treatment of retinopathy can prevent blindness. In terms of picking it up, optometrists have a huge role to play, especially identifying the 'missing million' of those who have diabetes but are not aware of it.'