|
50,000 PEOPLE RISK BLINDNESS AS NHS FAILS TO MEET TARGETS
DIABETES UK is warning that up to
50,000 people with diabetes in the North West are at risk of
needlessly going blind because many Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are
not meeting government targets of offering free digital retinal
screening to everyone with diabetes by the end of 2007.
Retinal screening is used to spot signs of retinopathy, a
complication of diabetes that can lead to blindness. Diabetes is the
leading cause of blindness in the UK working population. The
Diabetes UK retinopathy awareness campaign Your Vision is being
launched today to highlight the current situation and ensure all
people with diabetes have access to a free annual test with a
digital camera. In addition, the charity insists that each PCT
should have a systematic call and recall system to make sure that
people with diabetes receive an annual letter inviting them for a
test.
Julie Byron, Diabetes UK Regional Manager for the North West, said:-
"The provision of services across the region is patchy and it
is a scandal that 1 in 5 people with diabetes in the North West are
needlessly being put at risk of losing their sight. We have to make
sure that all people with diabetes have appropriate access to
digital retinal screening as a matter of urgency and encourage the
under-performing PCTs to put in place the appropriate facilities and
allocate the necessary budget to their screening programme."
Retinal Screening is one of the most cost-effective interventions
known in medicine. In 90% of cases retinopathy, a common
complication of diabetes affecting the blood vessels supplying the
retina which can lead to blindness, can be treated successfully if
caught early. While a digital retinal screening test only costs
around £21 per person to the NHS, statistics have shown that the
lifetime costs of dealing with retinopathy can be up to £237,000 per
person.
With Your Vision Diabetes UK also wants to raise awareness of the
link between diabetes and eye problems: a recent MORI poll showed
that 32% of people with diabetes still dont associate diabetes with
eye disease and blindness.
The Diabetes UK retinopathy campaign is supported by an unrestricted
educational grant from Lilly.
|
Wish upon a DVD…
IF you’ve got
any old dvds or console games cluttering up your shelves, don’t let
them gather dust, join Sienna Miller and Bill Nighy and take them to
your local Blockbuster where they will be converted into cash to
help seriously sick children’s wishes come true.
Money raised from the Starlight Children’s Foundation’s
Donate-A-Disc Appeal, which starts on 7 October 2007 and runs until 31
December 2007, will be used to grant the wishes of seriously and
terminally ill children, whether it is to fly in a helicopter, drive
a train or swim with the dolphins. At this moment, 21 children in
Merseyside and 717 throughout the UK have made a wish and are
waiting for their wishes to be granted. These brave children
have to deal with operations, needles and feeling unwell for long
periods. Often they have to stay in hospital away from their
brothers and sisters. Granting them a special wish can make all the
difference. Doctors and nurses say that happy children get better
quicker.
Sienna says:- "Every week millions of DVDs and console games
are bought, most of which end up being watched or played once -
never to be used again. By recycling these DVDs and console games,
hundreds of very poorly children will have their wish granted,
giving them and their families a special day to remember. It's
really simple to do, so please donate a disc today."
As a thank you, if you donate four or more DVDs, your next five
rentals at Blockbuster will cost just £1.50 each. You can also win
£500 for your school. To find out more visit
www.donate-a-disc.org.uk or get more information from
your local Blockbuster store. |
