Charity Calls For Training And Screening Improvement

New figures which suggest that care home staff are failing to screen elderly people for diabetes must lead to a change in attitudes, an expert has suggested.

Research by charity Diabetes UK found that one care home resident with the condition is admitted to hospital every 25 minutes due to failings in place in relation to both screening and training.

It also revealed that just under a quarter of homes screen their residents for diabetes on admission.

Sarah Head, an advisor on health and social care issues for law firm Irwin Mitchell, said the report hints that attitudes and operations within the sector have to change.

She explained: “Considering the risks of allowing diabetes to go undiagnosed, it is surprising and concerning that such a high number of care homes do not test for the condition when admitting new residents.

“Staff training on the issue needs to be improved first and foremost, with a greater focus on screening then following.

“Residents, along with their loved ones, deserve the right to know that they are receiving the best possible standard of care when using such services.”