Just 1 in 5 recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes have it under control

BARELY 20% of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes during the last 4 years have their condition under control, according to a new analysis by Diabetes UK.  The analysis, based on National Diabetes Audit data, shows that just 22.4% of those who have had Type 2 diabetes for up to 4 years (thought to be about 1 million people) meet recommended levels for blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure.

This is a concern because people not meeting the recommended levels are at increased risk of future complications such as kidney failure and amputation. And there is evidence that unless Type 2 diabetes is controlled well at the start, the body adapts to having high glucose levels and so the longer this goes on the more difficult it is to get under control.

This highlights the importance of giving people with Type 2 diabetes the support they need as soon as they are diagnosed. But at the moment just 14% of people with Type 2 are offered diabetes education soon after being diagnosed, despite the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommending that this be offered to everyone with diabetes. Diabetes UK is calling for the Government and the NHS to do more to ensure people get the support and education they need to be able to quickly take control of the condition.

Diabetes UK has also announced a national series of free educational events about Type 2 diabetes. The Living with Diabetes Days, funded by Diabetes UK's National Charity Partnership with Tesco, will give information about how people can better manage their condition. While they are available to everyone with Type 2 diabetes, they are aimed in particular at those who have recently been diagnosed with the condition. The events are being held at 80 locations across the UK and it is expected that 10,000 people with Type 2 diabetes will attend them over the next 2 years. People can register their interest at:- diabetes.org.uk or by calling:- 0345 123 2399.

The Living with Diabetes Days will give people the chance to learn how to maintain a healthy diet and become better able to manage their diabetes; ask health professionals questions and get practical up-to-date information; and meet other people with the condition.

Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said:- "With increasing evidence about the importance of getting Type 2 diabetes under control as quickly as possible, it is extremely worrying that just 1 in 5 people diagnosed with the condition in the last 4 years have it under control.  This means many hundreds of thousands of people are at increased risk of developing health complications such as kidney failure and amputation, which have a devastating impact on people's lives and are fuelling the high death rate in people with the condition. And while it's important that everyone with diabetes has their condition under control, if people with Type 2 do not get it under control quickly then it becomes progressively harder to do this so speed is vital in terms of getting people the support they need.  Unfortunately, a big part of the reason that so many people with Type 2 are starting off on the wrong path is the lack of available diabetes education. It is unrealistic to expect people to be able to manage their condition well if they are not given information about how to do this and so it is not surprising that so many people do not have it under control. This is why we want the NHS to give every person with diabetes the chance to have this kind of education.  We also hope that our Living With Diabetes days will give people the information they need to become more confident in managing their diabetes and so better able to get their condition under control and so give themselves the best possible chance of a long and healthy life. It is a great example of our National Charity Partnership with Tesco delivering real benefits for people with diabetes.”

Restaurant bosses in Wales, London, Lancashire and Liverpool banned as directors over illegal workers

4 restaurant bosses who broke UK immigration laws by employing 15 illegal workers in London, South Wales, Lancashire and Liverpool have been disqualified as directors for a combined 24 years following collaboration between the Insolvency Service and Home Office Immigration Enforcement.  This announcement was released to the media on 16 July 2014 and stated that:-

Manchester based director Cho Nam Kwan, 35, employed seven illegal immigrants at his Tai Pan Restaurant in Liverpool, while Oxford resident Eric Chung Man Ho, 35, employed two workers illegally at his Chinese restaurant the Oriental Gardens II, in Cwmbran, Wales.

Mohi Uddin, 31, of London employed 3 illegal workers at Massala Caterings Ltd in Romford. Zafar Mahmood, 39, also employed three illegal workers at his takeaway American Chicken Hut in Preston, Lancs.

The 4 directors are banned from managing or controlling a company for 6 years each until 2020. Mr Kwan's disqualification started on 7 July 2014, Mr Ho's on 15 July 2014, Mr Uddin's on 18 July 2014, and Mr Mahmood's on 25 July 2014.

Business Minister Jo Swinson said:- "People who employ illegal workers are not only breaking the law, they are also damaging their local economy. From stopping people from getting honest jobs to undermining businesses in their communities, the costs are huge. These four disqualifications give a strong warning that the Government is determined to stamp out these illegal practices and will take tough action against anyone flouting the law."

All 4 restaurants were visited by Home Office Immigration Enforcement in 2012 when the illegal workers were discovered.

Commenting on the disqualification, Richard Mulligan, Deputy Head of Company Investigations at the Insolvency Service, said:- "The Insolvency Service rigorously pursues directors who fail to pay fines imposed by the government for breaking employment and immigration laws. We have worked closely in this case with our colleagues at the Home Office to achieve this disqualification. The 4 directors sought an unfair advantage over their competitors by employing individuals who did not have the right to work in the UK in breach of their duties as directors. The public has a right to expect that those who break the law will face the consequences. Running a limited company, means you have statutory protections as well as obligations. If you fail to comply with your obligations then the Insolvency Service will investigate you."

A Home Office spokesperson said:- "Illegal working is not victimless. It undercuts honest employers, cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities and defrauds the taxpayer. Businesses should be aware that they have a duty to check that their staff have permission to work in the UK. We are happy to work with employers who play by the rules, but those who do not should know that they will not go under our radar."

Shots Fired on Newton Street, Southport

MERSEYSIDE Police have confirmed that 3 men have been arrested in connection with an incident on Newton Street, Southport on Sunday, 13 July 2014, as of the date on this edition. The incident took place on Sunday night, when shots were fired in Southport at a man, by people from a "dark coloured saloon." On arrival, at 8pm, on Newton Street, Police Officers located the man, who was shaken but uninjured. Following a search of the area, the outer wall of a house was found to have been damaged. Luckly no one inside the house was injured during the incident and the house is not believed to have been the target of the shooting. Patrols then searched for the vehicle that had reportedly the shots were fired from. The Matrix Serious Organised Crime Unit, who are are leading the investigation have since made the 3 arrests. The 1st was a 24 year old man, from the Southport area, who was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm. The next was an 18 year old man, from Grosvenor Road, Birkdale, who was arrested at the property on suspicion of possession of a Section 1 Firearm. The 3rd was 47 year old male occupant of the address in Birkdale, who has also been arrested. He was detained on suspicion of possession of a Section 5 Firearm. Chief Superintendent Peter Costello said:- "This appears to be a targeted attack by one criminal faction against another. It is reckless in the extreme to ever discharge an illegal firearm, but to do so in a residential area on a busy summer's evening beggars belief. We are determined to bring these criminals to justice so they cannot put other people's lives in danger. Merseyside Police is absolutely committed to relentlessly pursuing people involved in serious organised crime and I would urge anyone with information about this incident to call our gun crime hotline on:- 0800 230 0600 or Crimestoppers on:- 0800 555 111." All 3 arrested have been released on Police Bail as enquiries into the incident are still ongoing.  Also uniformed patrols have been increased in the area to provide a reassuring presence for local residents.