Agenda item

The Chairman invited to the table:

·         Ms Nila Patel – Barnet Diabetes, UK

·         Ms Beverly Wilding – Head of Primary Care Commissioning, Barnet CCG

Councillor Stock updated the Committee on the events that had taken place in Barnet during Diabetes Awareness Week. She explained that the first event had been organised at Brent Cross Shopping Centre where free diabetes tests were available all day. Numerous doctors and nurses had volunteered their time and both of the Council’s diabetes champions had attended.

She informed the Committee that out of those tested eight people had been diagnosed with Diabetes and ten diagnosed as pre-diabetic. Councillor Stock said anyone who had been flagged as being high risk had been immediately referred to a GP practice in Mill Hill where those who had been diagnosed would receive a full diabetes test.

Ms Patel thanked Councillors for supporting the event. She said that many of the people who had been identified as at risk had been shocked at the results and this showed the importance of getting tested. Councillor Stock confirmed that a ‘wash up’ meeting would be held and thanked all the team for their efforts. She said the event highlighted the dangerous lack of awareness regarding diabetes.

Councillor Stock then updated the Councillors on the 5 km run/walk event held in OakHill Park. She said the aim had been to raise awareness that exercise can be done without cost and it is an important way to help combat diabetes and obesity.

Ms Wilding said the CCG were conducting the second wave of the national pre-diabetic programme and had recognised that it is a big issue. She said that all GP practices had been incentivised to become part of the scheme and were being encouraged to call in those at risk and introduce them to the national programme. She said that they did acknowledge however, that this only worked when people were willing to submit to testing and that there are cohorts of people who do not engage for various reasons. Ms Wilding said the CCG had invested more money in the programme and had put more investment in ‘face to face’ programmes. She also said that although the programme currently targeted the newly diagnosed, the CCG were also trying to bring in those who had been diagnosed for a long time. Ms Wilding said there had been an increase in new patients and the number of patients in the structured educational programmes.

Ms Wilding informed the Committee that within the STP there were models emerging to move care closer to home and vary the way GP practices use their services. She said national money had been received to focus on three treatments to target the poorest outcomes and these would be commissioned in General Practices.

Councillor Naqvi queried whether patients suffering from diabetes became less concerned about their diet once prescribed medication. Ms Patel said that this was often the case and this demonstrated why delivery of education and services are so important. Councillor Naqvi said there was a lot of emphasis on what you eat and not so much on what you are not eating e.g. fibre. Ms Patel said that information on what you should do has changed over the years and those diagnosed years ago may not have been kept up to date with changes. Ms Patel said the whole approach of education and understanding needs to be looked into.

The Chairman read out a statement from Dr Debbie Frost, Chair of Barnet CCG, praising the success of the Brent Cross event. Dr Frost made the following comments ‘I would want to say we were involved and screened quite a few patients at the surgery- it was a really wonderful feeling that we were all working together. We also checked blood pressure and pulse rates for atrial fibrillation. I so look forward to doing this kind of prevention work together again!'

RESOLVED that the Committee noted the report.