A high uptake eye and foot screening service for an urban population

• Published in: Diabetic medicine 1999-07, Vol.16 (7), p.609-613
• Main Authors: Bryant, V. M., Wilson, A., Jones, T. H., Hague, R. V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Associated diseases and complications; Biological and medical sciences; colour fundus photography; Diabetes Complications; Diabetes Mellitus - therapy; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Diabetic Foot - diagnosis; Diabetic Foot - epidemiology; Diabetic Foot - prevention & control; Diabetic Retinopathy - diagnosis; Diabetic Retinopathy - epidemiology; Diabetic Retinopathy - prevention & control; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; eye screening; Fluorescein Angiography; foot screening; Health Care Surveys; Hospitals, District - statistics & numerical data; Hospitals, General - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Mass Screening; Medical sciences; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital - statistics & numerical data; Referral and Consultation; Registries; Risk Factors; slit-lamp biomicroscopy; Surveys and Questionnaires; United Kingdom; uptake; Urban Population
• ISSN: 0742-3071; 1464-5491
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1464-5491.1999.00119.x

Summary Aims A community diabetes eye screening service using slit‐lamp biomicroscopy and colour fundus photography was set up in 1993 at the Barnsley District General Hospital Diabetes Centre with a foot screening service being added in 1994. The service is available for all diabetic patients in the Barnsley health district (encompassing 220 000 people). After 4½ years, a survey was carried out to establish the uptake of this service. Methods All diabetic patients on the local diabetes register were checked for attendance at the eye screening service or the Barnsley District General Hospital Eye Department. Questionnaires were sent to general practitioners to establish what screening was received by those attending neither of these services. Results More than 10% of patients were found to be incorrectly registered. Of the 4000 correctly registered diabetic patients, 62% were screened annually by this service and 25% were under the care of the Department of Ophthalmology. Half of the remaining 13% were screened at other hospitals or by opticians or general practitioners and the other half were either too old or ill to be screened or were non‐compliant. Conclusions This service has a high uptake, and is recommended for a circumscribed urban population.