Diabetes Scotland said 80% of spending goes on treating potentially avoidable complications
Smarter investment in diabetes care could improve the lives of people with the disease and cut health spending by millions of pounds, a charity has said.
According to a study by Diabetes Scotland, 80% of NHS Scotland's £1 billion annual diabetes bill is spent on treating potentially avoidable complications.
Meanwhile, the number of people with diabetes who received regular monitoring was found to have dropped over the past 12 months.
Less than 40% of adults with Type 1 diabetes and around half of those with Type 2 diabetes received all nine recommended care checks last year, the Scottish Diabetes Survey 2015 found.
Smarter investment in diabetes education can reap huge benefits
These checks can spot early signs of complications which can lead to loss of lower limbs, sight loss, heart attacks, kidney disease and strokes.
Kirsteen Murray, national director of Diabetes Scotland, said: "Diabetes is now the fastest growing health epidemic of our time.
“When people are first diagnosed with diabetes they are entering a world where everyday living can become a significant challenge - at home, school and work.
"One of the most important services people need is education to successfully manage their condition and reduce their risk of developing life-limiting complications.”
Speaking on World Diabetes Day, Ms Murray called for more investment to be targeted on prevention and education among people with the condition.
“Smarter investment in diabetes education can reap huge benefits for both the person living with the condition and in managing rising NHS Scotland costs,” she added.
Ms Murray also claimed the country had "taken a step back" in providing basic health checks since the Scottish Government published its diabetes improvement plan in 2014.
Almost a third more people are living with diabetes in Scotland than seven years ago, she added.
Health minister Aileen Campbell said: "The NHS in Scotland provides some of the best diabetes care in the world. This is against the backdrop of increases in the number of people living with diabetes in recent years.
"Health boards and diabetes teams work hard to stress the importance of attending health checks and education courses to ensure as many people as possible attend."
