ACCRINGTON is the diabetes capital of the UK and, with numbers of sufferers growing all the time, resources are becoming increasingly hard-pressed, say nurses.

The number of prescriptions given out to diabetics in Accrington is the highest in the UK, with Blackburn coming eighth highest in a list compiled by drugs market researchers.

The number of people treated for diabetes by Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust rose to 7,123 in 1997 - 2.6 per cent of the population and significantly higher than the national average. The number of cases in 1996 was 6,012.

The problem is more widespread within the Asian community, where six per cent have diabetes.

Research by the trust's link worker, who speaks Urdu, Gujurati and Punjabi, shows Asian people tend to worry more than others about the problems of diabetes.

The trust's video - Living with Diabetes - recorded in a number of Asian languages has been successful in raising awareness and the number of amputations and losses of sight caused by diabetes has decreased over the last year.

Diabetes specialist nurse Adine Logan told Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley community health council that more resources for diabetes treatment were desperately needed.

She said: "The problem is vast. And for every person who is diagnosed there is another with diabetes who is not."

Fellow nurse Helen Loughnane said nurses were spending too much time on paperwork when they could be treating patients. More consultants, medical staff and secretarial support were needed as cases of diabetes were predicted to keep rising.

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