Helping people with Type 2 diabetes meet their treatment targets could lead to significant savings for the NHS – and help people live longer, healthier lives, according to a report.
The research from the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, supported by Diabetes UK, suggests that NHS England could save as much as £727m over 10 years if all people with Type 2 over the age of 20 in England and Wales met their three treatment targets. The three treatment targets focus on blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. NICE sets them, and all GPs and healthcare professionals are encouraged to help people with Type 2 diabetes meet as many of these targets as possible.
The research showed that meeting treatment targets lowered people’s risk of diabetes-related complications, leading to significant savings and helping people with diabetes live longer, healthier lives. It suggests that meeting all three treatment targets could reduce the cost of treating complications by £1037 per patient over 10 years. Meeting two would yield a £940 saving, and one an £859 saving.
