BLINDNESS PREVENTION AND PEOPLE WITH DIABETES

That this House regrets that diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among the working age population in the UK; considers that all people with diabetes should have access to free annual retinal screening with a digital camera; welcomes the progress made by many primary care trusts across England in implementing retinal screening programmes for people with diabetes, but is concerned that the latest figures from the Department of Health show that 28 per cent. of people with diabetes are at risk of losing their sight because they have not received screening and 6.9 per cent. of these have not even been offered it; commends the ongoing campaign from Diabetes UK that calls for everyone with diabetes to have access to high quality, annual retinal screening and appropriate follow-up treatment as necessary; and calls on primary care trusts to do more to reduce the number of people who do not respond to screening invitations.