Over 13,000 people living with diabetes in the borough

Figures released by Diabetes UK show that 13,741 people are currently living with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes across the borough of Rochdale.

There has been an increase of 13.87% in people diagnosed with the condition since 2012.

The number of people living with diabetes in the UK has recently passed the 4 million mark for the first time, though this includes almost 550,000 people who are thought to be undiagnosed.

Stephen Ryan, Diabetes UK Regional Manager for the North of England said: “Over the past three years we have continued to see the number of people with diabetes in Rochdale rise at an alarming rate and these latest figures are a stark call and urgent call for action to tackle this serious health condition. Tragically, we are continuing to see too many people with diabetes suffering serious complications, and even dying before their time, and we know that key reasons for this are that they are not getting the care and access to education that would help them to manage their condition well.

"It is vital that we start to see people with diabetes receive good quality care wherever they live rather than them being at the mercy of a postcode lottery. Equally, diabetes education needs to be readily available everywhere, and commissioned along with a proper local system that explains to people with diabetes the benefits they will gain from attending an education course, and ensures that courses are well run.

“We also need a concerted effort led by the Government to take active steps to address the fact that almost two in every three people in the UK are overweight or obese and are therefore at increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Basic measures such as making healthy food cheaper and more accessible, introducing clearer food labelling and making it easier for people to build physical activity into their daily lives would have a profound influence.

“With a record number of people living with diabetes, there is no time to waste in getting serious about providing better care and diabetes education.

Until this happens, the rising number of people with diabetes will continue to be denied the best chance of living long and healthy lives and the NHS will continue to be crippled under avoidable but escalating costs of treating poorly managed diabetes."

Type 1 Diabetes is caused when the body can no longer produce insulin and is a lifelong condition. Type 2 Diabetes develops when your body can’t develop enough insulin or when the insulin is produced, it doesn’t work properly.