IMPROVE KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING TO TACKLE DIABETES RATES - FINNIE

Written by Ross Finnie on Tue 26th Jan 2010

Commenting on the publication of the latest ScotPHO diabetes information update showing that diabetes contributed to 82,517 hospital admissions last year, Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Ross Finnie MSP said:

"Improving people in Scotland's knowledge and understanding of this condition is vital if we are to turn these figures around.

"It is worrying that these figures may only be the tip of the iceberg as the report rightly highlights that diabetes is often an under-recorded factor in hospital discharges and deaths.

"We must focus on helping people to manage their illnesses rather than waiting for them to appear on the radar only when acute care is needed."

Ends

Notes to Editors:

The main findings of the report are as follows -

Diabetes was the main reason for 6,687 hospital admissions in Scotland in 2008 and contributed to a total of 82,517 admissions during that year.

Diabetes was the underlying cause of 730 deaths in Scotland in 2008 and contributed to a total of 4,052 deaths.

It is well known that diabetes is under-recorded in hospital discharge records and in death certificates; these figures are therefore likely to considerably under-estimate the true number of admissions and deaths.