Devastating amputation threat from diabetes

Experts are warning that many more diabetics could suffer the same fate after latest figures revealed that diabetic foot care in the city falls below an already poor national average.

Now two Southampton experts are on a mission to drive up standards across the south and lead a taskforce that aims to see the number of amputations halved within the next five years.

Currently about 13,121 people over 16 suffer from diabetes in Southampton and Hampshire and with that number expected to soar in the coming years, specialists are warning that action needs to be taken now before the problem spirals out of control.

Figures released earlier this month revealed that the number of amputations as a result of diabetes across the country is a major concern, soaring well above many countries in Europe.

Worryingly Southampton falls below the national standards, with 33 patients having a major amputation between 2008 and 2011.

Had the city been meeting the national average, four of these legs could have been saved.

But experts in the city are aiming much higher and are determined to create a top quality service for diabetics that boosts standards across the country and emulates the success in Europe.

Not only will this improve life for those patients who in the past may have faced losing a leg and learning to walk again with a prosthetic, it will also save the NHS millions of pounds.

Currently an estimated £639m a year is spent on foot complications and amputations.

A project launched in the city in 2004 saw the formation of multi-disciplinary team in foot care that provided a telephone advice service, an emergency access line for patients and weekly podiatry clinics.

Over three years this saw the number of amputations fall by 60 per cent and a saving of more than £700,000 for the city.

Professor Cliff Shearman, a vascular surgeon at South-ampton General Hospital, believes this model proves huge improvements can be made and wants to see the number of amputations by 50 per cent in five years.

Prof Shearman told the Daily Echo: “A lot of people are at risk of diabetes and one of the commonest complications is amputation.

“But the good news is that there is a big window of opportunity to do something before patients get to this stage and we want to take action now to ensure fewer people than ever are faced with losing a leg.

“The idea is to get people to recognise this is a real problem that will get worse and worse unless we tackle it now.

“The aim is to get everybody working together and provide a unified service, which is the past has been shown to reduce amputations by as much as 70 per cent.

“Not only does this improve the lives of patients, but also saves an enormous amount of money for the health care system. We want to see amputations halved within five years and I believe this is an achievable target.”

Hampshire grandmother Christine Bartlett lost the lower part of her left leg due to diabetes.

She was forced to learn how to walk again after the condition caused her to collapse unconscious at her home in Woolston, Southampton.

After five days lying unconscious in Southampton General Hospital, the 63-year-old woke up to be told by doctors that they could not save her leg.

Now the retired teacher does everything she can to avoid any further complications, keeping a close eye on her diet and regularly going to podiatry clinics to ensure any problems are caught early.

She said: “When I was first told I would lose my foot I was in total shock and told the doctors to ‘go away’.

“I didn’t want to look at it and it was horrible going back home and not being able to do simple things like walk up the stairs.

“It was a lot to come to terms with and I found it particularly difficult to learn how to walk again.

“If this can stop others from going through what I have then I think this is exceptionally important.”