First health 'MOTs' aim to beat diabetes

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The screening service, launched today, aims to identify people who are unaware they have the disease or are at risk of it developing.

Experts believe it could save 2,000 lives a year by preventing people from developing diabetes and suffering potentially deadly conditions, such as strokes and kidney disease, that it can lead to.

Diabetes is a condition in which a person's blood sugar level is too high. This can damage blood vessels and cause longterm health problems.

During the screenings, available across the City and Hackney, pharmacists will check family history of the condition, ask about lifestyle and carry out waist measurements.

Being overweight through poor diet and lack of exercise is to blame for a rise in cases of type 2 diabetes and a waist measurement of 34in or above in men, and 35in in women, is considered a risk factor.

Pharmacists will also ask about symptoms, which for diabetes include chronic tiredness and increased susceptibility to infection. If they think it is necessary they can carry out a finger-prick blood test to check blood sugar levels. If the MOT indicates a person may have diabetes they will be advised to go to their GP for further tests.

The chemist will provide those suffering the illness with medication and a full review of their health, based on lifestyle changes such as a better diet.

Screening is available free to anyone over 40 and to people from Asian communities aged 25 and over - Asians are six times more likely to develop diabetes than average.

City and Hackney Primary Care Trust was chosen to launch the checks because of the high number of people at risk in the area. Some 10,000 diabetics are registered with GPs there, but health officials believe there may be another 3,000 residents unaware they have the disease.

Jonathan Mason, head of prescribing and pharmacy at the trust, warned that more people were developing diabetes at an earlier age because of the rise in obesity. "There are a lot of people out there who feel they're relatively healthy and do not know they're at risk," he added.