ONLY 37 per cent of diabetes patients in Blackburn and Darwen are getting appropriate annual checks according to a new audit.

Blackburn with Darwen Care Trust Plus was named 14th worst out of 151 primary care trusts in the NHS Information Centre report.

NHS East Lancashire had a score of 52 per cent - above the national average of 50.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommends that diabetes patients receive nine checks annually.

These include blood sugar levels, whether they are smoking, and an assessment of damage to the eyes or feet due to diabetes.

Nearly half of registered diabetes patients in Hyndburn, Burnley, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale and nearly two thirds in Blackburn and Darwen did not get all nine tests.

The report concluded that the NHS could soon be facing a “diabetes time bomb”.

It found that 800,000 Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients in England and Wales had elevated blood sugar levels, which could lead to kidney failure, limb amputation and stroke.

And it said the number of diabetes cases was increasing, particularly in deprived communities, and warned that many patients were young or middle aged.

Dominic Harrison, Blackburn with Darwen’s director of public health, said the trust was concerned by the findings and planned to carry out a review.

He said: “Blackburn with Darwen has a high incidence of Type 2 diabetes, which is to be expected given that it is strongly associated with high levels of deprivation and large black and minority ethnic populations.

“However, we are committed to doing all we can to improve and we are working hard to raise awareness among both clinicians and patients of the ongoing care that is needed.”

Sue Warburton, head of community services for NHS East Lancashire, said it was pleased with its results and hoped for further improvement.