A study published by Diabetes UK records a surge in toe, foot and leg amputations among diabetes patients.
New analysis by Diabetes UK found that there were 27,465 lower limb amputations related to diabetes in England from 2015 to 2018, an increase of 18.3% from 2011 to 2014.
Its analysis also shows there were hundreds more “major” lower limb amputations, defined as an amputation below the knee, during the same period.
While “minor” lower limb amputations, which can include the removal of a whole foot, have increased from 16,275 to 19,920.
The charity said one in six hospitals do not have multidisciplinary specialist foot care teams, meaning patients may not have access to timely care.
Although the risk of any individual with diabetes having a major amputation has fallen significantly since 2011 and is now one of the lowest internationally, there is still room for improvement.
Advocacy Action: Ask your Health Minister how many hospitals have have multidisciplinary foot care teams? If it is not every hospital, ask when every hospital will have a multi-disciplinary foot care team? Are the statistics for diabetes related amputations rising or falling?