THE NHS has launched a new plan to prevent and treat diabetes - a condition which affects one in 20 people and consumes one-tenth of the Scottish health budget.
The diabetes improvement plan is designed to improve prevention, early detection, treatment and procedures for hospital inpatients.
Diabetes disproportionately affects people from deprived and ethnic backgrounds, so the NHS wants to improve equality of access.
Health service officials want to identify people at the highest risk of developing diabetes, help more people manage blood sugar levels and get feedback from patients to improve hospital admission procedures.
There has been an increase in the use of insulin pumps, a wearable alternative to syringes, since the last diabetes improvement plan in 2010.
Some 500 staff received training from psychologists with diabetes expertise. Patient trials for diabetes research have tripled to 3,667 since 2009.
Public health minister Maureen Watt said: "The number of people being diagnosed with the condition has continued to rise, not just in Scotland but throughout the UK and beyond. This improvement plan builds on the excellent progress that has been made in Scotland."
Jane-Claire Judson, national director of Diabetes Scotland, said: "We would urge the Scottish Government to ensure that a more robust approach to patient engagement is utilised so that the people who are most affected have a say in the care and support delivered."
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