An “unacceptably low” number of GPs in Medway are supplying data on patients’ annual diabetes checks, it is claimed.

Diabetes UK has launched a campaign to improve the amount of information sent by family doctors to the National Diabates Audit (NDA)

It says NHS Medway Clinical Commissioning Group is ranked in the bottom 20% of the 221 CCGs in England, with only 22 of its 56 GP practices submitting data to the audit last year.

With the deadline for this year’s data on Friday, August 12, Diabetes UK is urging the CCG to take immediate action to make sure GPs send in the “vital information”.

The highest performing CCG saw all its GP practices involved in the annual national diabetes data collection.

In Medway, there are about 15,000 people with diagnosed Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and the audit records annual checks that should be monitored for them.

It also assesses the effectiveness of diabetes treatment, including blood pressure measurement and eye, foot and blood glucose tests - vital to identifying any problems early on so that any necessary action can be taken.

Jill Steaton, Diabetes UK South East Regional Head, said: “Measuring the number of people getting essential diabetes checks, the NDA plays a critical role in revealing which areas are meeting all treatment targets and carrying out all care processes, and importantly, which areas are falling short of this.

“We are very concerned that such a small number of GP practices in Medway are supplying this vital information.

“While doing so might present challenges for healthcare professionals and commissioners, it is absolutely essential that all GP practices provide this data so that people with diabetes understand how their local diabetes services are performing and what needs to improve.

“As a matter of urgency the NHS leadership in Medway needs addressing the reasons behind the low participation rate of its GP practices.

“I would appreciate an outline of any plans it has in place to improve the proportion of practices submitting this much needed data.”

Dr Peter Green, chairman of Medway Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We are very aware that the participation rate of Medway practices in the 2014/15 National Diabetes Audit was below average and below where we would expect to be.

“We have put in place proactive steps since January 2016 to support practices to upload data for the 2015/16 Audit which will enable them to meet with the deadline (August 12) for this year’s submission.”

He said the process of uploading data for this year’s audit had been simplified which would help more practices to submit their data.

The Medway CCG has also created an audit system that enabled the CCG to assess practices’ management of diabetics in primary care throughout the year, and could be used to identify patients at risk of developing diabetes – a system which has since been shared with other CCGs.

Dr Green added: “Our work with all relevant stakeholders in Medway, which includes the Diabetes UK, has been instrumental in setting up the Medway Diabetes User Group which helps support patients and GPs in line with the National Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP).”