Government Policy In Relation To Current Health Or Social Welfare Issues Assignment Sample

Introduction of Government Policy In Relation To Current Health Or Social Welfare Issues Assignment

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The presence of appropriate government policies is most relevant to take a strong stand against health issues. The aim of this report is to evaluate the existing government policy in the UK in relation to the current health issue such as diabetes with respect to age and gender. In the discussion part, a brief definition, as well as an explanation of the health issue, is illustrated. The presence of suitable graphs and tables is also relevant to make this research a more critical one. A strong focus on government policies is also provided here. Justified recommendations and a well-stated conclusion are also provided here, to sum up, the entire context of this report.

2. Discussion

2.1 Definition

Diabetes or Diabetes mellitus is considered is a metabolic disease that is responsible to cause high blood sugar. It can also be considered a chronic disease that can be easily occurred when the pancreas cannot be able to produce the required level of insulin or when the body cannot properly use the produced insulins (Who, 2021). Based on the effect of Diabetes, it is observed that the disease is able to enhance the risk regarding different types of cardiovascular issues such as “coronary artery disease” with the chest pain, stroke, heart attack, and “narrowing of arteries” (Mayoclinic, 2022). Chronic diabetes conditions are mainly consisted of “type 1 diabetes” and “type 2 diabetes”. It is essential to ensure timely treatment of Diabetes in order to mitigate the severe risk factors related to this health issue.

2.2 Overview of Diabetes in the context of UK

Diabetes is identified as one of the most common chronic diseases in the UK and focusing on its prevalence, it is observed that it is increasing. As per the below figure, nearly 3.7 million people in the UK were diagnosed with diabetes among which 12.3 million people have been identified at an “increased risk of Type 2 diabetes” (Diabetes, 2018). Moreover, 4.6 million people live here with diabetes which is a major concern for the UK government.

Number of people living with diabetes in the UK in 2018

Based on the research of Iacobucci (2021), within 2030, “1 in 10 UK adults” have a high risk to diagnose as diabetic 2030. Focusing on figure 2, it has been identified that the age group which registered with the highest percentage of diabetes such as 43.3% is the 40-64 year age group (Statista, 2022). As per the estimation of 2016, it has been observed that 31500 children along with young people “under the age of 19” were identified with diabetes (Diabetes, 2016). Thus, from this context, it is quite clear that diabetes in the UK is observed very frequently among children up to the aged people. It is necessary to take such strategic considerations in this regard to mitigate the high level of diabetes within the population.

Distribution of people registered with the type 2 diabetes in the UK by age as of 2021

From figure 3, a clear overview regarding the prevalence of diabetes over the 50 years age group as of 2018/19 in the UK has been well identified.

Prevalence of diabetes over 50 years in England in 2018/19 by gender and age

It can be clearly understood from this matter that the rate of prevalence of diabetes in the UK is high for males rather than females. In comparison to the aforementioned figures such as figure 2 and figure 3, it has been identified that diabetes was observed on a strong aspect within the age group of 75-79 years (as per figure 3). On the other hand, as per figure 2, the highest prevalence rate was observed in between 40-64 years age group. In case of variations regarding a 10-year period, it is not possible to collect the old data properly. In 2010, it was observed that only 2% of people in the UK were diagnosed with diabetes within the age group of 16-34 years along with 1.8% and 2.1% for men and women respectively. Based on the year 2015, it has been identified that 9.6% of people were diagnosed with diabetes along with a 7.6% percentage for women. Since the year 1996, it was observed that the number of people who were diagnosed with diabetes increased from 1.4 million up to 2.6 million in the present context (Dyson et al. 2018). It is essential to undertake such relevant actions in this context to gain positive impacts. From the above, it is quite clear that the prevalence rate of diabetes varies frequently.

2.3 Prevalence in particular age

Diabetes diagnosis has been identified as double in the UK in the present context compared to previous years. However, it has been observed that within the age group of 45-54 years, 9.0% were diagnosed with diabetes whereas 23.% aged “75 years and over” (Diabetes, 2021). Moreover, only 2% of adults who were aged between 16-44 years were diagnosed with the disease. The differences can be observed regarding the changing lifestyle, food habits along with health consequences of the population in the UK.

2.4 Summary of Aims of Government Policy

Based on the variables such as age and gender, it is essential to enhance people’s awareness to take a strong stand against diabetes. The presence of a relevant policy can be effective to ensure such responses for better prevention of the increasing rate of diabetes. In the context of the UK, it has been identified that to ensure national response regarding the prevention of diabetes, the UK government has developed the “NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme” (NHS DPP) here (Gov, 2022). It can also be considered as a behavioral intervention for individuals aged “18 years or over” with “nondiabetic hyperglycaemia” (NDH). There are several goals included under the NHS DPP such as reduction of incidence of the “type 2 diabetes”, reduction of health inequalities associated with the “incidence of type 2 diabetes” and reduction of complications related to this program.

Overview of NHS DPP program in the UK

As per the above figure, a clear identification regarding the NHS DPP program is well identified. The program is effective for both preventing the problem as well as dealing with the problem when it will arise. The three main key aspects of NHS DPP are the “uptaking of diabetes prevention programs”, “retention of the diabetes prevention programs” and changing of lifestyle (Gov, 2022). From the viewpoint of local authorities regarding this program, it has been identified that they are quite satisfied with this type of approach taken by the UK government. In this aspect, the “local authority commissioners” have a strong willingness to work with the NHS (National Healthcare Service) in order to identify the high-risk BME communities regarding diabetes (Gov, 2022). As per the viewpoint of “Clinical Commissioning Groups” (CCGs) of the UK, the NHS DPP program is relevant enough to identify the “high risk of developing conditions”. “NHS RightCare Diabetes Pathway” can also be used by the NHS commissioners in this regard to provide the “optimal diabetes services”. The DPP providers are mostly responsible for delivering accurate services to needy persons.

In the case of strengths, it can be stated that with the help of the NHS DPP Program, it is possible to conduct a better identification of the type 2 diabetes patients in the UK. As per the weakness, it is quite clear that the program can only be effective for recognizing and conducting treatment for “type 2 diabetes”. The other types of diabetes cannot be well-identified through this program. From the above-conducted discussion, it has been identified that the government policy or strategy regarding type 2 diabetes is relevant enough whereas it is essential to develop this aspect to get significant outcomes.

3. Conclusion and recommendations

It can be concluded from the allover context that the NHS DPP program is effective whereas it needs more development. The increasing rate of diabetes is a major concern for the UK government and it needs to be resolved as early as possible. There is a strong need to enhance such awareness among the individuals to take a strong stand against diabetes to develop a healthy society.

It can be recommended that the NHS DPP Program needs to be developed more in order to make it flexible to provide as well as develop excellent lifestyle interventions. “Population-level interventions” are also needed in this context to reduce the risk of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It is also essential to attract local authorities along with local commissioners to take adequate parts in this program as it is not possible for NHS only to identify a large number of patients from each area of the UK. It can be also effective if it is possible to engage “primary care providers” with this program in order to deliver quality services to individuals. Thus, by accepting the above-conducted changers, it can be possible to gain more significant outcomes.

Reference list 

Carr, M.J., Wright, A.K., Leelarathna, L., Thabit, H., Milne, N., Kanumilli, N., Ashcroft, D.M. and Rutter, M.K., (2020). Impact of COVID-19 on the diagnoses, HbA1c monitoring and mortality in people with type 2 diabetes: a UK-wide cohort study involving 13 million people in primary care. medRxiv, pp.2020-10.

Diabetes, (2016). More-than-500-children-and-young-people-have-type-2-diabetes. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/-more-than-500-children-and-young-people-have-type-2-diabetes [Accessed on 9th May, 2022]

Diabetes, (2018). Diabetes-prevalence-statistics. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/diabetes-prevalence-statistics [Accessed on 9th May, 2022]

Diabetes, (2021). Diabetes-diagnoses-doubled-prevalence-2021. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/diabetes-diagnoses-doubled-prevalence-2021#:~:text=Diabetes%20cases%20have%20doubled%20in,in%20the%20last%2015%20years [Accessed on 9th May, 2022]

Dyson, P.A., Twenefour, D., Breen, C., Duncan, A., Elvin, E., Goff, L., Hill, A., Kalsi, P., Marsland, N., McArdle, P. and Mellor, D., (2018). Diabetes UK evidence?based nutrition guidelines for the prevention and management of diabetes. Diabetic medicine, 35(5), pp.541-547.

Gov, (2022). Health-matters-preventing-type-2-diabetes. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-preventing-type-2-diabetes/health-matters-preventing-type-2-diabetes#:~:text=The%20goals%20of%20the%20NHS,diabetes%2C%20over%20the%20longer%20term [Accessed on 9th May, 2022]

Iacobucci, G., (2021). One in 10 UK adults could have diabetes by 2030, warns charity.

Mayoclinic, (2022). Symptoms-causes. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371444#:~:text=Diabetes%20dramatically%20increases%20the%20risk,Nerve%20damage%20(neuropathy) [Accessed on 9th May, 2022]

Statista, (2022). Individuals-with-type-2-diabetes-by-age-in-england-and-wales. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/387343/individuals-with-type-2-diabetes-by-age-in-england-and-wales/ [Accessed on 9th May, 2022]

Who, (2021). Diabetes. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes [Accessed on 9th May, 2022]