Hospitals and GPs in Epsom, Carshalton, and Chertsey will receive £1.78million over the next two years to help fight diabetes.

The Surrey Heartlands health and social care partnership – which includes Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals, and Epsom and St Helier Hospitals – was awarded the share of the £44million of NHS transformation funding for 2017-19 this week.

The money is to be used for improving treatment and care for adults and children diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes – conditions which kills 22,000 people every year – Surrey Heartlands stated.

It will be shared out between the Guildford and Waverley, North West Surrey, and Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).

The four CCGs will be spending the money to help patients in three key ways:

  • Improving three treatment targets to help patients better manage their cholesterol, Body Mass Index and blood glucose levels;
  • Developing structured education to provide patients with a better understanding of their condition in order to be able to manage it better through means such as lifestyle changes;
  • Providing specialist nurses who will work at Ashford & St Peter’s, Epsom and the Royal Surrey hospitals as well as in collaboration with GP practices. They will deliver patient screening for diabetes in A&E as well as improving the capacity of GP practices to deal with diabetes patients.

Dr Claire Fuller, a local GP and the senior responsible officer at Surrey Heartlands, said: “Surrey Heartlands is delighted to have been awarded a significant share of this extra funding from NHS England, which will allow us to improve care and outcomes for our diabetic patients on these three very important fronts.

“Putting more emphasis on prevention and promoting healthier lifestyles and choices among citizens is one of the core ambitions of Surrey Heartlands.”

Dr Andy Brooks, chief officer at NHS Surrey Heath CCG and a Camberley GP, said: “We are delighted with this news at Surrey Heath CCG.

“We look forward to using the extra funding to improve services and treatment for our diabetic patients.”

Type 2 diabetes is a leading cause of preventable sight loss in people of working age and is a major contributor to kidney failure, heart attack, and stroke.

As well as the human cost, Type 2 diabetes treatment accounts for almost nine per cent of the annual NHS budget - around £8.8billion a year.

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