Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser has pressed the First Minister, Alex Salmond, to make diabetes a national clinical priority during First Minister Questions today.
Murdo, who is also a member of the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party group on Health Inequalities called current diabetes issues a “ticking time bomb” and asked the First Minister for “fresh” and “urgent” action to tackle diabetes as well as making the condition a national clinical priority.
In response, the First Minister confirmed that diabetes was “a priority for the Government” and offered the Scottish Conservative MSP a meeting with the Health Minister Alex Neil.
Commenting Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“If the Scottish Government fails to lay down the correct structures today, in ten years’ time diabetes will dominate our health spending and priorities, such is the gravity of this issue.
“The Scottish Government must realise that the root causes of diabetes lie in the healthcare inequalities experienced across Scotland’s deprived communities. Unless there is urgent action to tackle these problems then the number of diabetes sufferers in Scotland will only continue to rise.
“A greater level of awareness is required to make the diagnosis of diabetes even better. The risks of unhealthy eating should be made clearer as should the promotion of a healthy diet.”