A DIABETIC mother-of-two was shocked to learn her annual health check had been put back -- for 12 months.

For over 20 years since her condition was diagnosed she has like other sufferers undergone an annual rigorous examination.

But shortly before she was due to attend this year's review the Leigh mum she received a letter postponing her appointment for a year.

She said: "I was shocked because that means a two year gap between checks. I was under the impression these annual reviews were to make sure everything is functioning and is a way of preventing problems."

She said the letter informing her of the appointment postponement said changes had been necessitated by medical staff shortages.

A health services spokesman said : "Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust and Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust are working together to modernise the way doctors and nurses deliver care to people with diabetes.

"This involves extending the roles of GPs and specialist nurses to ensure that annual reviews of patients with diabetes are provided in a timely way, allowing the specialists working within the hospital to look after acutely ill patients and those with very specialised needs relating to their diabetes.

"Any patient who requires the urgent attention of a specialist in diabetes can arrange an appointment to be seen by a specialist nurse usually within the same day.

"Consultant staff within the hospitals trust and GPs within the primary care trust deliver clinical services of a very high standard and in order to continue the improvement of services and the need to reduce waiting times, additional doctors and nurses are required.

"Detailed recruitment plans are being developed jointly between the trusts given the national shortage of doctors and nurses with the necessary expertise, and the time it takes to train such specialists."

Both trusts say they are confident that these specialists will be appointed, and that over the course of the coming months, the modernisation of diabetes services will be supported by the recruitment of a number of new specialist GPs and nurses.