The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7345 p446
16 April 2005

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Diabetes patients ill-informed about their condition

People with diabetes are not being told enough about their condition, according to Diabetes UK. The charity conducted a survey to investigate what problems there were in diabetes care. It found that only 54 per cent of people with diabetes realise it can lead to heart disease and only 45 per cent realise it shortens life expectancy. Ignorance about their condition means that many people with diabetes are suffering unnecessarily from complications, such as losing their eyesight, the charity said.

Irene Gummerson, a community pharmacist in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, has a special interest in diabetes care. “Pharmacists have an important role in explaining medicines use and aspects of diabetes care to people with diabetes and their carers”. This could, she explained, be part of a medicines use review in a community pharmacy or a care home, medication history in an admissions unit or in reaction to a person being prescribed a diabetes drug or blood glucose testing reagent for the first time.

Pharmacists can also help to uncover areas where patients need more information, she said. “Ways of discovering gaps in knowledge include asking people with diabetes if they have any particular concerns or questions, or by handing out a questionnaire.”

She highlighted two documents giving guidance to pharmacists advising people with diabetes and their carers: the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s “Practice guidance on the care of people with diabetes” (PDF 630K) and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee’s “National framework for diabetes — a guide for community pharmacists” (PDF 340K).