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Diabetes UK's latest 'State of the Nation' report suggests that, in some clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), more than 90 per cent of people with type 1 diabetes don't meet treatment targets for glycaemia, blood pressure and cholesterol (reports Mark Greener).

The study also found that the number of people who receive the care processes recommended by NICE has changed little over the last few years. Just 41 per cent of people with type 1 diabetes and 62 per cent with type 2 diabetes received all eight care processes in 2012- 2013. Only 16 and 37 per cent respectively met all three treatment targets for blood pressure, HbA1C and cholesterol. The proportion of patients meeting the targets varies by 20-30 percentage points between CCGs. In some, less than 10 per cent of people with type 1 diabetes meet all three treatment targets.

€Community pharmacists are an important part of the solution to the problems identified in the report,€ Robin Hewings, the charity's head of policy, told Pharmacy Magazine. €For example, there are now numerous drugs for diabetes. Pharmacists can help clinicians and patients choose the most appropriate. €Pharmacists can also educate patients to aid self-management: the report shows that education is often very poor.€

In 2012-2013, only 1 per cent of people with type 1 diabetes and under 2 per cent of those with type 2 received structured education on their condition. Services such as MURs help optimise outcomes with hypoglycaemics, antihypertensives and lipid lowerers, says Mr Hewings. €However we have to ensure pharmacy is fully integrated into the care pathways for diabetes to make the most of their potential,€ he says. €There are examples of good practice involving community pharmacy in diabetes care across several parts of the country. We need the more poorly performing areas to learn from them. The problem isn't innovation; there's plenty of that. It's getting poorly performing areas to adopt innovations.€