Genetic testing on the NHS will spot a rare form of diabetes in thousands of people unaware they are living with the disease, alongside a new training scheme for staff.
The test being rolled out across England can also spot whether people have passed the affected gene on to their children, while the health service is training hundreds of staff across the country to be experts in the rare condition.
Known as monogenic diabetes, around 12,000 people in England are thought to have the condition, which if left undetected can mean patients struggle to manage glucose levels. If high glucose levels go untreated for a long period of time it can cause blindness, amputations and greater risk of a heart attack.
Most patients newly diagnosed with monogenic diabetes will be able to manage their condition better by taking tablets or by diet to control their glucose levels instead of having to endure often unnecessary and time-consuming insulin injections.
The test can also detect whether children have inherited the affected gene and will go on to develop monogenic diabetes, typically before the age of thirty. The condition makes up one in fifty diabetes cases, but it is difficult to diagnose or distinguish from the more common types of the condition – type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
The NHS Long Term Plan is committed to increasing access to genomic testing and to improving diabetes care across the country.
Professor Partha Kar, NHS national speciality advisor for diabetes, said: “We are already making progress against the goals set out in the NHS Long Term Plan for better diabetes care, and the rollout of this programme will mean more patients across the country will benefit from access to specialist genetic testing and optimised treatment.
“Monogenic diabetes is difficult to diagnose, and we will more easily be able to identify those who need to be referred for genetic testing by training teams on monogenic diabetes in each Trust.
“The NHS has long been at the forefront of clinical advances in care for major diseases like diabetes – being able to spot the condition from birth is just another example of how we are helping people with the condition to live longer and healthier lives.”
NHS Trusts in England will be supported to put in place a team of monogenic diabetes experts to support patients – with up to 280 staff to be trained over the next year.
The new project, run in partnership between the NHS England Diabetes Programme and the NHS Genomic Medicine Service, will provide remote training to support teams in hospital trusts to improve diagnosis and identify people who may have the condition.
Professor Dame Sue Hill, Chief Scientific Officer for England and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in the NHS, said: “I’m delighted we’re rolling out this initiative which will no doubt be welcomed by the thousands of patients who’ll benefit from being able to access genetic testing for monogenic diabetes and the personalised treatment interventions.
“The NHS continues to lead the way in using the latest genomic technology and this is a great example of how genomics can help diagnose, inform treatments and deliver improved outcomes for patients. And it shows how the NHS is delivering on the commitments set out in the NHS Long Term Plan to increase access to genomic testing.”
Dan Howarth, Head of Care at Diabetes UK, said: “The rollout of this programme is a significant and hugely positive development. It will help ensure people will get the most appropriate treatment and support for this rare type of diabetes, meaning blood sugar levels can be better managed, and the risks of developing the devastating complications of diabetes can be reduced. And as this form of diabetes runs in families, other family members can be informed of the symptoms to look out for, to enable timely treatment and support.
“More understanding of the rarer types of diabetes is crucial, and Diabetes UK is investing in research which will hopefully give us a greater understanding of these conditions.
“This new programme builds on the work of the NHS Diabetes Programme and NHS Long Term Plan, which have led to improvements in care for people with all types of diabetes and in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes. This work must be continued and built upon as the NHS recovers from the pandemic.”
Health Minister, Nadine Dorries, added: “We are dedicated to improving care for those with diabetes – a commitment we have built on through the NHS Long Term Plan – and this latest cutting-edge innovation will have a positive impact on thousands of patients and families.
“The Office for Health Promotion which is launching later this year will build on our range of programmes to support people with diabetes and will lead national efforts to improve health.”
The NHS Long Term Plan set out a range of actions for the treatment and care of diabetes, including expanding the world-leading Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Programme so that up to 200,000 people a year could benefit, and committed to making non-invasive glucose monitoring technology available to one fifth of people with Type 1 diabetes, and continuous glucose monitoring available all pregnant women with Type 1 diabetes.
Earlier this year, the NHS announced the roll-out of an ‘artificial pancreas’ designed to revolutionise the life of people with Type 1 diabetes, which continually monitors blood glucose and automatically adjusts the amount of insulin given through a pump. It can significantly reduce the need for finger prick tests and prevent life-threatening hypoglycaemic attacks.
