Insulin injection (Photograph: J H Lancy/HML)

The audit, conducted by the NHS Information Centre in 2007/8 and involving 1.42 million patients, also found that diabetics are more likely to have complications if they have a more socially deprived background.

Overall, just 40% of patients said that they received all nine care processes as recommended by current NICE guidance.

However, this is a significant improvement compared with five years ago when only 6.5% of patients received all nine care processes.

The audit also found that patients with type-1 diabetes or maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) were less likely than those with type-2 diabetes to receive any of the nine care processes.

Dr Bob Young, clinical lead for diabetes at the Information Centre, said: ‘There is stark contrast in the level of care depending on what type of diabetes a person has, where they live in the country, and how socially deprived they happen to be.’

sanjay.tanday@haymarket.com

• Information Centre - Diabetes audit report
  
  

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