DIABETICS in County Durham are to get a better service in hospital thanks to a new plan drawn up by health officials.

The scheme for South Durham Health Care NHS Trust aims to ensure that provision for diabetic patients is the same standard throughout its area.

The trust has four diabetics specialist nurses and three diabetologists in hospitals at Bishop Auckland and Darlington.

An audit of services at Bishop Auckland General Hospital and Darlington Memorial Hospital has revealed that newly referred diabetic patients wait twice as long as those in Darlington.

Although between them both sites have average waiting times, patients in Bishop Auckland are still waiting 48 days for an appointment.

The survey also revealed improvements could be made to help diabetic women who are pregnant.

Neither hospital has specialist pediatric diabetic nurses, and some patients are not referred for psychological assessment and support when diagnosed with the condition.

Another problem identified in both hospitals was lack of information being passed from GPs to the hospitals.

That hinders the treatment of patients and can delay procedures if information or tests have to be repeated.

A spokesman for the acute diabetics services said: "A wide range of written patient information is available from both hospitals. Communication between hospital and GP appears good, but could be improved by including information about what the patient has been told more often."

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic disorders in the UK, with about three to four per cent of the population affected and one to two per cent unaware that they have the condition.

Nationally, it is estimated that five to ten per cent of hospital costs are spent on treating diabetes and one in ten hospital beds are occupied by sufferers.

A survey at the Darlington and Bishop Auckland hospitals showed just over 12 per cent of in-patients had diabetes and just over one per cent were diagnosed after they had been admitted.

Treatment of diabetic patients was left in chaos earlier this year when a specialist clinic closed on the day it opened because of staff shortages. The University Hospital of North Durham closed its regular Friday clinic in April but they were reinstated in June due to public demand.