Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, has urged the Government to improve healthcare for children with Type 1 diabetes after meeting with a constituent in Parliament to discuss the matter.
Cheryl Edmeades, who lives in East
Tilbury and has a 15-year-old son who has Type 1 diabetes, travelled to
Westminster to meet with Stephen Metcalfe MP as part in a lobbying event
organised by Diabetes UK to highlight the essential care and support that every
child living with Type 1 diabetes needs.
The charity says
that too many children with Type 1 diabetes are not getting the essential
checks and services they need to manage their condition, which is reflected in
the fact that 85 per cent of children with
Type 1 diabetes have poor blood glucose control. This puts them at increased risk of devastating health complications later in
life such as blindness, amputations and stroke.
Cheryl Edmeades said: “I was delighted to take part in Diabetes UK’s
lobbying event and meet with Stephen Metcalfe as it gave me the chance to raise my concerns about poor diabetes
healthcare for children.”
“Diabetes is a
serious condition but too many children with
Type 1 diabetes here in Essex and across the country are not accessing the
essential care they need to manage their condition. All children deserve the
best healthcare and that is why change is urgently needed.”
Mr Metcalfe added: “I was
extremely grateful for the opportunity to meet with Ms Edmeades to learn more
about her son’s condition and to hear more broadly about what needs to be done
to improve the healthcare for children with Type 1 diabetes.”
“It is not acceptable that some
children do not receive the care and support they need and it is vital that
this changes. I have written to the Department for Health and to the local
hospital to communicate this message.”
“If people in
Essex have a child with Type 1 diabetes, they should make sure they are aware
of the Type 1 essentials for children and young people guide,
which sets out the 10 things every child with Type 1 diabetes needs.”
Diabetes UK’s Type
1 essentials for children and young people guide can be downloaded at: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved/Campaigning/Type-1-essentials/What-are-the-Type-1-essentials/
