16 Mar 2016
According to the results of Diabetes UK’s 2015 care survey, only 69% of people with Type 1 diabetes stated that they are having their legs and feet checked, compared with 80% of people with Type 2. This may be because people with Type 2 are more likely to have their feet checked by their GP, who, through QoF (Quality Outcomes Framework) are financially incentivised to deliver this service.
Worryingly, those who had their feet checked were often not asked to remove their socks or tights nor even had the soles of their feet checked for any numbness, which may be a sign of sensory neuropathy. Failing to perform tests according to accepted guidelines renders them pointless. As a result, the charity is asking people with diabetes to more forcefully ask for foot checks and that they are performed to an acceptable professional standard according to current NICE guidelines.
For more information:
Diabetes UK Health Care Essentials Survey (opens in new window).
Diabetic foot problems: prevention and management, NICE guideline NG19 published August 2015.