Prescriptions for diabetes medicines in England have risen by 50% in the last six years, while overall NHS prescriptions have risen by 33%.

According to the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), the number of diabetes prescriptions reached 40 million in 2011–12.

This was an increase of 2.3 million (6%) on the previous year alone.

The net cost to the NHS of diabetes-related medicines rose by almost 50% in the same period, the HSIC notes, due to the uptake of new drugs such as Januvia, Galvus and Onglyza.

A total of 2.5 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes in England.

Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 90% of cases, is treated with a range of oral medications and sometimes with insulin.

“We face the real possibility of diabetes bankrupting the NHS within a generation,” commented Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK.

The only solution, she argued, was to “grasp the nettle on preventing Type 2 diabetes” through early identification and correction of risk factors.

HSCIC Chief Executive Tim Straughan said: “Our figures show diabetes is having a growing impact on prescribing in a very obvious way.”

The impact of diabetes was visible throughout the NHS, he added, affecting such areas as pharmacy and hospital care.

The ABPI has appointed outsourcing specialists Apodi to support its human resources requirements.

The agreement is part of the Association’s modernisation agenda to move away from ‘in-house support’.

Stephen Whitehead, ABPI Chief Executive, said the trade association was “really pleased” with the decision to appoint Apodi and they are “really enjoying working with them”.

The HR and development unit at Apodi helps clients in building high performing organisations by optimising workplace performance.

“As a highly experienced HR and development team with a strong heritage in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, we have a wealth of experience and credibility in dealing with HR issues typical to the Pharmaceutical industry,” said Mark Murphy, Apodi’s Business Unit Director for HR and Development services.

One in five PCTs will miss the mandatory ‘MOT’ health check target in 2012–13.

GPs are required to give the MOT check, which provides early warning of cardiovascular problems, to all patients aged 40–74.

However, according to data obtained by GP magazine, up to nine million eligible patients will not be given the relevant checks and questions.

A PCT that has not even started giving the MOT checks blamed “other pressures” for the omission.

The health MOT records age, height, weight, blood pressure and blood cholesterol (plus blood glucose in certain cases), as well as responses to enquiries about current medication, smoking and family history.

This can provide early warning of heart and circulatory disease and diabetes.

In the year 2011–12, before the MOT became compulsory, the NHS set a target of 20% of eligible patients receiving the checks. However, only 14% did so.

In that year, four PCTs gave no or very few MOTs, and two-thirds of PCTs did not meet the interim target.

A spokeswoman for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly said the programme could not be delivered “owing to other pressures”.

Dr Richard Vautrey, Deputy Chairman of the BMA’s GP Committee, commented that giving the scheme “greater national standards” and “national rates of payment” would have led to “better cost and clinical effectiveness”.

From April 2013, offering five-yearly MOT checks will be among the public health responsibilities of local government.