Diabetes care 'failing targets'

Diabetes patients in Derbyshire are being let down by the health service, according to a report.
The charity Diabetes UK claims some primary care trusts are failing to meet government targets for prioritising children's care and retinal screening.

The charity said children have unique needs that require special attention.

Derbyshire's primary care trusts say they are improving services for diabetics, and aim to introduce digital eye scanning equipment in 2006.

Retinal screening is available at GP surgeries and some opticians but Diabetes UK said the service needs to be fully integrated.

Phil Casey, a care advisor for the charity said: "Retinal screening may not sound like a major problem, but in terms of the problem it's causing for people with diabetes, it's actually the leading cause of blindness in the working population."

There are about 128,000 people with diabetes in the East Midlands, but Diabetes UK say there are a further estimated 56,000 people who are unaware they have the condition.