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Although I'm sure we can all agree that diabetes is an ever increasingly common disease and that there is no doubt that diagnosis and treatment is on the rise. I can't help but feel that there is a particular flaw in the data of the article. 'Prescriptions handed out by pharmacies' is far from a scientific measure.
1) There could be any length or quantity of medicine prescribed on each prescription. We do not know if this is one week, month or several months treatment per prescription. Medicines wastage cost the NHS millions so it would it not be wise to reduce the quantity of medicines prescribed at the risk of increase the number of prescriptions?
As an overview, a quick analysis on the prescribing data from 90% of secondary care Trusts using Define software by RX info Ltd shows there is no significant increase to the dispensing, using the WHOs DDD measure, of diabetic medicines dispensed in secondary care since 2011.
Although this article refers to England, the situation in Scotland is just as bad if not worse. But the NHS itself should set an example. The latest figures tell us that 65% of people in Scotland are overweight or obese, while for nurses the figure is actually 70%. Long hospital shifts without proper meal breaks give rise to snacking on chocolate, as illustrated by last week's Panorama programme, and vending machines sell unsuitable drinks. The NHS needs to care first for its own staff, and then for its patients. The diabetes epidemic must be curbed, and the solution is simple. Smoking is now falling; so should unhealthy eating.
Re: Diabetes prescribing rises by a third over five years
Although I'm sure we can all agree that diabetes is an ever increasingly common disease and that there is no doubt that diagnosis and treatment is on the rise. I can't help but feel that there is a particular flaw in the data of the article. 'Prescriptions handed out by pharmacies' is far from a scientific measure.
1) There could be any length or quantity of medicine prescribed on each prescription. We do not know if this is one week, month or several months treatment per prescription. Medicines wastage cost the NHS millions so it would it not be wise to reduce the quantity of medicines prescribed at the risk of increase the number of prescriptions?
2) Rural practices may influence number of prescriptions: http://www.dispensingdoctor.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/1.-income.pdf
As an overview, a quick analysis on the prescribing data from 90% of secondary care Trusts using Define software by RX info Ltd shows there is no significant increase to the dispensing, using the WHOs DDD measure, of diabetic medicines dispensed in secondary care since 2011.
For those on an N3 network with access to Define can find the analysis here: https://rxinfo.thirdparty.nhs.uk/reports/Report?Mode=SHA_National_Compar...
Research by Xingsan Kan at RX Info Ltd
Competing interests: Pharmacist at RX Info Ltd