Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent work his Department has undertaken to raise awareness of the effects of diabetes on people with that condition; and if he will make a statement.

The NHS Health Check raises awareness of diabetes and its symptoms by assessing and discussing with participants the risk factors for this disease, along with other conditions relevant to the programme. Between April and December 2013, over 2 million people were offered an NHS Health Check and almost 1 million people took up the offer.

Action for Diabetes, published in January 2014, sets out NHS England's broad vision and direction for supporting improvements in outcomes for people with and at risk of diabetes in the coming years, both as a direct commissioner and by providing support to the commissioning system. The report is available at the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/act-for-diabetes.pdf

In addition, NHS Improving Quality is working with NHS England's National Clinical Director for Diabetes to identify potential areas of service improvement. Work focusing on the cardiovascular health of people with diabetic-related foot disease is currently being developed and will be delivered during 2014-15.

Ministers have participated in a number of Parliamentary and external events to raise awareness of diabetes. Diabetes and its effects also feature throughout Living Well for Longer, the Department's recent publication on preventing premature mortality.