[*Note from HIFA moderator (NPW): Thanks for your message Richard. I have added '46% of adults with hypertension are unaware that they have the condition' to the subject line as it provides a helpful comparison with diabetes. Ref: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension ]
Our General Practice took a small part in the 1985 Medical Research Council trial of treatment of mild hypertension. The summary is below. The results were positive but many patients had side effects from the drugs including depression and erectile dysfunction. Exercise, standing at work, walking and taking public transport to work are all associated with improvements in blood pressure, cardiovascular fitness, and metabolic health. Our practice began to promote self diagnosis and self management of their blood pressure and exercise. A blood pressure costs about £60.00 and can be shared by a family or friends. Bathroom weighing scales cost about £50.00. The average cost of a 9 day holiday abroad is about £1250=00. (Holidays are good for health!) The information and knowledge to manage weight, blood pressure and metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors is freely available through the NHS App.
For £19.99 a patient can buy an HbAiC testing kit - "…..’s rapid test measures glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) to assess average blood sugar levels over the past three months. It provides a reliable indication of long-term glucose control, with results available in just 10 minutes.
If you’re looking for more continuous monitoring of your blood sugar, we recommend our Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM), which provides real-time data and a more detailed view of your blood sugar levels over a 2-week period.
Another option is to combine this test with our Diabetes Test, which measures both ketones and glucose, offering a fuller picture of your diabetic health. We also offer a Diabetes HbA1c lab test that will give you your exact HbA1c value, as opposed to the rapid test that will only tell if you are within reference value or too high."
These methods of testing for and managing non communicable metabolic and cardiovascular diseases are far cheaper than services administered and provided by the national service providers.
A care has to have a Ministry of Transport test of safety every year after it is three years old. The test costs about £40.00. The majority of car owners had their cars serviced every year at a cost of about £200=00.
Community and patient engagement and cultural change may be required to achieve better diabetes detection not service provision?
R
HIFA profile: Richard Fitton is a retired family doctor - GP. Professional interests: Health literacy, patient partnership of trust and implementation of healthcare with professionals, family and public involvement in the prevention of modern lifestyle diseases, patients using access to professional records to overcome confidentiality barriers to care, patients as part of the policing of the use of their patient data Email address: richardpeterfitton7 AT gmail.com