Written question WQ97860
- Asked by
- Samuel KurtzConservative
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 3 days
Question
What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of diabetic ketoacidosis rates at Type 1 diabetes diagnosis in Wales, and will the Welsh Government adopt findings from UK studies such as ELSA and T1DRA to reduce preventable emergency presentations?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a potentially life-threatening complication of type 1 diabetes and around 26% of children and young people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes presented with DKA at diagnosis in 2023-24. We monitor DKA rates at diagnosis for children and young people through the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit and figures for 2024-25 are expected to be reported in March 2026.
We have set out our expectations for NHS services in Wales in the Quality Statement for Diabetes. This includes for health boards to apply the all-Wales referral pathway for new presentations of type 1 diabetes to prevent diabetic ketoacidosis and hospital admission. Health boards have confirmed this pathway has been adopted. A national digital education resource about the management of diabetes has also been made available to all healthcare professionals in Wales.
Research studies, such as ELSA and T1DRA, are exploring the potential for population screening programmes for children and adults at risk of developing type 1 diabetes to reduce emergency presentations.
Like the other UK nations, we follow the independent, expert advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), which brings academic rigour and authority to what is an extremely complex area. The UK NSC does not currently recommend population screening for type 1 diabetes.