Young People Ask Scottish Parliament To 'Help Us Get Our Act Together'

Main Category: Diabetes
Article Date: 15 Nov 2007 - 5:00 PDT

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A new report from Diabetes UK Scotland highlights that young Scots with diabetes are vulnerable to complications caused by inconsistent access to support and treatment.

The report, presented to Scottish Parliament on World Diabetes Day, shows that the health of more than nine out of ten of young Scots with diabetes is at risk because they lack support to manage their condition properly.

Audrey Birt, National Director of Diabetes UK Scotland said: "Anyone with diabetes must have the glucose level in their blood maintained at a safe level through a combination of insulin, diet and exercise.

"A recent study found that 91 per cent of young people with diabetes in Scotland had unsafe levels of blood glucose.

"This puts them at risk of complications such as nerve damage, eye disease, kidney disease and heart failure."

'Getting our act together' brings clinical research alongside two new reports published by Diabetes UK Scotland on the experience of growing up with diabetes and care received.

Audrey Birt added: "This hard hitting report shows that despite dedicated support from within the NHS, more needs to be done to ensure that children and young people no longer are hit by the double-whammy of a diagnosis of diabetes and care that isn't meeting their needs.

"Children and young people with diabetes who just want to be like any other young person, and until adequate support is in place, this will not happen."

http://www.diabetes.org.uk