Type 1 Diabetes: Infant Testing
Anna Gelderd Excerpts(2 weeks, 1 day ago)
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Irene Campbell
I thank my hon. Friend for making that important point. Yes, I agree.
The survey also found that 73% of GPs report that patient safety is being compromised by their workload pressures, and 58% said that they do not have enough time during appointments to adequately assess and treat patients. It is concerning to hear that a high number of GPs do not have time for professional development and quality development. While the number of patients GPs are expected to see rises, the pressure is higher and patient satisfaction is poorer.
Another important point to note is that the NICE guidelines are from 2015. They could be reviewed to recommend that type 1 diabetes be tested for much earlier, and that an infant need not have all the listed symptoms in the guidelines before testing, as the four Ts on their own are not very sensitive at picking up type 1 diabetes. NICE guidelines could prioritise earlier testing of glucose, making checks immediate and not postponed.
Anna Gelderd (South East Cornwall) (Lab)
In South East Cornwall, 177 residents signed the petition. Does my hon. Friend agree that when the first warning signs appear, we must ensure access to simple tests, including a finger-prick test, that can save their lives? I want to recognise a local family: Alison and Mylor have travelled here today to make the case directly. On behalf of all residents in South East Cornwall, I thank my hon. Friend for making this incredibly important debate happen.
Irene Campbell
I agree with what my hon. Friend says. As I say, I am looking forward to hearing the Minister’s response on how we can make progress.
As we have heard, DKA is a life-threatening complication of diabetes, which is caused by extreme insulin deficiency. We urgently need to change and reduce the rates of DKA. One issue is that it is difficult to know exactly how many children have been missed, discharged and reassured after presenting with these symptoms who will then return for later diagnosis.
As well as young children, adolescents have high rates of presenting with DKA, which can be compounded by factors such as deprivation and ethnicity. That must also be taken into consideration.
Community Pharmacies: Devon and the South-west
Anna Gelderd Excerpts(1 year, 3 months ago)
Westminster HallRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Westminster Hall is an alternative Chamber for MPs to hold debates, named after the adjoining Westminster Hall.
Each debate is chaired by an MP from the Panel of Chairs, rather than the Speaker or Deputy Speaker. A Government Minister will give the final speech, and no votes may be called on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Anna Gelderd (South East Cornwall) (Lab)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Betts, and I thank the hon. Member for Tiverton and Minehead (Rachel Gilmour) for securing the debate.
After decades of Conservative Government, our NHS is on its knees, and we see that in our long waiting times, in GP services over capacity and in hospitals struggling to meet demand. In the middle of this, community pharmacies have been quietly stepping up and taking on more responsibilities to help NHS colleagues and to ensure that our communities are not disadvantaged further. However, underfunding, medication shortages and a reduction in the skilled workforce have left many pharmacies in crisis.
According to the Company Chemists’ Association, the south-west has lost more than 300,000 hours of pharmacy care a year, with 40% lost due to reduced opening times and 60% as a result of permanent closures. Behind the statistics are real people in our constituencies who are struggling to access the care they need. Community pharmacies are trusted pillars of our communities and a key part of the wider healthcare system. For areas such as my South East Cornwall constituency, where we have a large elderly population and constituents who often have to travel very long distances to access healthcare services, our pharmacies are vital lifelines.
This Government have a plan to rebuild our NHS, but it will take time and we need to do more in the interim to support our pharmacies so they can continue to support our communities. Great initiatives such as Pharmacy First have demonstrated that pharmacies can support our NHS and deliver for people when they are empowered to do so. Such schemes can help to free up GP capacity and improve patient access to treatments for common conditions. However, more could be achieved, so will the Minister outline what support will be made available for community pharmacies in my area of South East Cornwall and across the south-west?