DSDG report

   Download the full DSDG report here.

 

The Irish Government must take steps to address the dramatic and increasing impact of diabetes on both patients and the health system, according to a report developed by leading Irish diabetes specialists, nurses, patient groups and other healthcare professionals.

Failure to address this issue will result in increasing numbers of people developing blindness, renal failure, limb amputation and heart disease and stroke.

Acknowledged as the next major world epidemic by the World Health Organisation, more than 200,000 people in Ireland have diabetes, and according to the Chairman of the Diabetes Service Development Group (DSDG), Dr John Barragry, half of these people are undiagnosed.

At present diabetes care takes about 10 per cent of the total health budget or €350 million and more than half of this (59%) is spent in treating the complications of the disease.

The DSDG report Diabetes Care: Securing the Future sets out a detailed blueprint on how diabetes healthcare can be restructured to deliver long-term savings in health costs and improve the quality of life for people with diabetes.

The comprehensive and continuous diabetes management advocated in the report has the potential to reduce blindness by 76%, amputation by 67%, cardiovascular disease by 20% and renal disease by 88%.

The report also details what actions, facilities and staffing each of the ten health boards need to undertake in order to provide the most efficient and effective service not only to people with diabetes but also to promote public awareness and detection of the disease.

The cost of the plan (extra to monies currently spent on diabetes) as detailed in the report is €70 million in the first year, reducing to €55 million each subsequent year.

However, earlier diagnosis of diabetes will result in reduced retinopathy and cardiovascular disease, limb amputations and renal failure that will deliver cost savings to the overburdened Irish health system.

“The burden of diabetes and its complications on the health care system are high, however the early detection and prevention of diabetes related complications will provide benefit to patients as well as reduce the healthcare expenditures for government,” Dr Barragry said.

The Group was an initiative of Diabetes Federation of Ireland and had as its goal the design and costing of a framework for the improvement and development of diabetes services over a four year period.

The report highlights the importance of:

  • The availability of Specialist units around the country, led by a physician with diabetes training; supported by nurse specialists, dieticians, social workers, psychologists and podiatrists and access to other auxiliary services
  • Development of screening programmes not only for the condition itself but also for the complications
  • Integration of primary and secondary shared care diabetes programmes
  • Addressing the availability of paediatric services for children and adolescents with diabetes and pregnant women with diabetes nationally
  • Providing access to paramedical support services for people with diabetes and their families and promotion of public awareness of the condition.

“This Government’s own health strategy launched late last year clearly sets quality and fairness as the objectives for our national health policy,” Dr Barragry said.

“We could not agree more. This is why there is a need for change in how the system deals with diabetes prevention, detection and treatment in order to deliver the quality and fairness that people with diabetes deserve.”

Back to top