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Nearly 18 per cent of Newham Clinical Commissioning Group’s total prescribing spend was on drugs used in diabetes maintenance - the highest percentage of all CCGs in England. CCGs - or
clinical commissioning groups are set up to organise the delivery of NHS services in England. Just 7 per cent of North Tyneside CCG's total prescribing spend was on drugs used in
diabetes - the lowest percentage of all CCGs in England. North Tyneside also had the lowest percentage in England for diabetes drug items dispensed, at 3.6 per cent of its overall number of
drug items dispensed. Figures show the number of people in England being treated for diabetes has increased from 5.3 per cent in 2009/10 to 6.4 per cent in 2014/15. This means in 2014/15
there were 2.9 million adults in England receiving treatment for diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs as a result of a lack of insulin but Type 2 diabetes, occurs because there is a reduction of
the secretion of insulin, or resistance to it. If diabetes is not properly managed it can lead to serious consequences such as sight loss, limb amputation, kidney failure and stroke.
Figures have revealed that every week there are over 100 amputations due to people controlling their diabetes poorly. Chief executive of Diabetes UK, Chris Askew has warned there is a
‘crisis’ surrounding the illness and said people aren’t aware of the seriousness of the condition. This comes after it was revealed people in the north east are most likely to be diagnosed
with cancer.