Hospitals where one in three patients have got diabetes: Bill for NHS expected to soar to £17bn

More than one in three patients in some NHS hospitals suffer from diabetes, figures show.

The condition is putting an increasing strain on the health service, costing an estimated £10billion a year, yet many staff do not know how to treat it.

The most common form of diabetes, type 2, is strongly linked to lifestyle factors such as obesity, lack of exercise and poor diet.

Bishop Auckland Hospital, County Durham, has 35 per cent of patients who are diabetic - the highest rate in the country. The condition is expected to cost the NHS £17bn in 20 years

Earlier this month the Mail revealed that one hospital bed in seven was occupied by a patient with diabetes.

Now a snapshot NHS survey shows the highest rate was at Bishop Auckland Hospital, County Durham, where 35 per cent of patients are diabetic.

At Hammersmith Hospital in West London it was 28 per cent, followed by 25 per cent at West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, Cumbria.

Experts say there is a link between diabetes rates and obesity levels in an area. Of those in hospital with diabetes, 93 per cent have type 2. However, many with the condition are not obese and it is common in the elderly.

Other hospitals badly affected are Leicester, Birmingham and Newham, East London, which all recorded rates of 24 per cent.

Diabetes accounts for around 10 per cent of the NHS budget, with most spent on complications such as amputations and stroke.

Hammersmith Hospital, West London - where 28 per cent of patients have diabetes - had the second highest rate, according to the survey. Experts say there is a link between diabetes rates and obesity levels

As the number of those suffering from the condition increases, costs to the NHS are expected to soar to £17billion in the next 20 years.

Last week the former head of the NHS admitted he had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after living on fry-ups for breakfast, triple-decker sandwiches and eight pints of beer every Friday night.

Sir David Nicholson, who retired last month on a £2million pension, said he had lost control of his health, and the condition was ‘absolutely, completely my fault’.

Around 3.6million Britons have diabetes but this is expected to rise to 5million in ten years (stock image)

Around 3.6million Britons have diabetes – of whom 90 per cent have type 2 – but this is expected to rise to 5million in ten years.

There are between 200,000 and 250,000 new cases of diabetes every year, but this is offset by the deaths of up to 140,000 patients, meaning that the population with the condition grows by an annual 100,000 to 150,000.

Around 3.6million Britons have diabetes - of whom 90 per cent have type 2 - but this is expected to rise to 5million in ten years

Campaigners warn that hospital patients with diabetes are particularly vulnerable as some NHS staff do not know how to look after them properly.

Simon O’Neill, of Diabetes UK, said: ‘This is becoming a big problem in virtually every hospital and it seems to be getting worse.

‘The biggest growth is in type 2 and we know that’s linked to a growing elderly population and a growing overweight and obese population.’

He added: ‘People with diabetes tend to end up staying two to three days longer than average because they take slightly longer to heal and recover. The level of knowledge about diabetes among general hospital staff isn’t that great.

‘Often, the hospital mucks up their diabetes control and they’re not well enough to leave until the diabetes has been stabilised.

There is a large number of medication errors in hospital, giving them insulin without food, causing them to have low blood sugar. 

‘We’re also aware of people being allowed to develop foot ulcers in hospital just by not turning them and making sure they’re not spending all day in bed.’

The latest figures for hospital patients are compiled by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, which carries out a diabetes audit every year.

They are a snapshot of the number of patients with diabetes on a given night, so vary slightly from year to year, although overall trends remain the same.

Last year the highest rates were recorded at Birmingham City Hospital, where 31 per cent of patients were diabetic.

NHS figures also show 40 per cent of diabetes patients fall victim to some kind of ‘medication error’.