A ‘postcode lottery’ is leading to avoidable amptutations for people with diabetes due to a lack of integrated footcare services, according to the recently released NHS Atlas of Variation.
NHS Diabetes has called for more integrated diabetes footcare services across the NHS after it was revealed some people with diabetes could be up to six times more likely to have a major lower limb amputation (defined as above the ankle) because of where they live
NHS Diabetes Director Anna Morton said: “The amputation rate is high, and often avoidable, but what is even more unacceptable is that the chances of having this life-changing surgery can come down to your postcode.
“To stop this, we are calling for integrated footcare services across primary and secondary care, including footcare protection teams in the community and specialist multi-disciplinary teams in hospitals.
“Examples from Ipswich and Middlesbrough hospitals have shown such teams can reduce amputations by up to 75 per cent, which saves costs and, more importantly, people’s limbs.”
The NHS Atlas of Variation, published by the Department of Health and supported by the National Diabetes Information Service (NDIS), found that more than 4,600 people with diabetes, included in the National Diabetes Audit, had had a major amputation in the previous five years. This represented 0.24 per cent of the people included in the audit and has not changed since 2008/09.
A link to the full Atlas can be found at:
http://www.rightcare.nhs.uk/index.php/atlas/atlas-of-variation-2011/