This article is from page 22 of the 2011-01-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 22 JPG
ADVOCATES in Clare are being credited with playing a crucial role in a successful campaign for a new foot screening services for diabetics.
A new national foot screening programme will be introduced by the Health Services Executive (HSE) this year.
The two-year advocacy campaign was aimed at influencing health policy by mobilising grassroots support from Ireland’s growing diabetes community.
According to Grainne Flynn of the Clare branch of the Diabetes Federation of Ireland (DFI), Clare people were among the strongest supporters of ‘Half the Services, Half the Care’ campaign.
“We were encouraging people to go online and petition for the foot screening programme. At one stage, in terms of people logging on, Clare was the number one county in Ireland. Overall, Clare was in the top two for four or five months,” she said.
The decision by the HSE to intro- duce a National Diabetes Foot-Care Screening Programme under the National Service Plan 2011 has been welcomed by advocates for more services for diabetics.
According to Ms Flynn, “The fact that the Government has committed to funding for 12 podiatrists is very welcome. The foot screening programme is very important. People with diabetes have to be careful about feet because serious problems can develop from something as small as a scrape. Early screening can prevent amputations.”
In Clare between 2005 and 2009, 37 per cent of the 535 hospital admissions for foot ulcers related to diabetes sufferers.
For the same period, of 99 hospital admissions for foot ulcers (under the age of 65), 53 patients had diabetes.
The figures also showed that of 115 lower limb amputations, 55 patients had diabetes (48 per cent); of 43 lower limb amputations (under the age of 65), 23 patients had diabetes (51 per cent).
Last September, Diabetes Action’s ‘Half the Services, Half the Care’ campaign drew attention to the high levels and heavy financial cost of foot ulcers and lower-limb amputations in a drive to secure a screening programme designed to identify foot disease in Ireland’s growing diabetic population.
Meanwhile, the Clare branch of the Diabetes Federation of Ireland will hold Type 2 Diabetes meeting tonight, Tuesday, January 18, in the Marie Assumpta Hall at 8pm. For further information contact clarebranchdfi@gmail.com or 087 641 5747.