Pam Finlinson came to see me at one of my community drop-ins in Western Park.
Pam volunteers for Diabetes UK, the national charity which campaigns and cares for people with diabetes. She told me about a new campaign the charity is launching to raise awareness about the 7 million people in the UK who are at high risk of developing the condition.
This is a really important issue in Leicester. More than 24,000 people in our city already have diabetes – that’s 10.3% of the population compared to the national average of 7.5%.
The good news is 60% of people who are at risk could be prevented from developing the condition, for example by eating a healthier diet and taking exercise. Prevention is obviously far better than cure, both for the individuals who might be risk and for taxpayers. It already costs the NHS around £10 billion a year to treat and care for people with diabetes.
I am writing to NHS Leicester to ask them to take action on this important issue and to make sure people who already have diabetes get the best possible care and support. If you want further information about eating a healthy diet or taking exercise to reduce your risk of diabetes please click here.
