THE importance of foot care for people with diabetes to reduce the risk of amputation will be highlighted with a walk round City Park, Bradford, next week.

As part of the Bradford Beating Diabetes campaign, a team at NHS Bradford City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is inviting people to join them on the walk on Wednesday at 1pm.

The CCG is backing Diabetes UK’s Putting Feet First campaign to bring an end to the thousands of potentially preventable amputations affecting people with diabetes.

Dr Sohail Abbas, one of the GPs leading the BBD campaign, said: “It’s especially important to look after your feet if you have diabetes because it can reduce the blood supply to your feet and cause a lack of sensations.

"This can mean foot injuries do not heal well and you may not notice if your foot is sore or injured. If you have diabetes, you’re 15 times more likely to have a limb amputated due to gangrene."

He added: "The risk of complications can be greatly reduced if you’re able to bring your blood sugar levels under control. And if you have diabetes it’s important to try to stop smoking.

"Smoking impairs the blood circulation, particularly in people with diabetes, and can seriously worsen foot and leg problems.”

Patients with diabetes are being urged to get their feet checked as part of the annual key tests they receive at their local GP practice to make sure their condition is well controlled and to help prevent long-term complications.

The CCG has made diabetes care and prevention a priority and is working closely with local GP practices to raise awareness of the importance of the tests and help them provide high quality care for more than 8,000 people with diabetes.

Nationally, more than 135 people with diabetes have a leg, foot or toe amputated each week and four out of five of these amputations are preventable.

Jo Hammond, podiatry team leader at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, said: “About 85 per cent of amputations start with an ulcer and people with diabetes have a 15 per cent chance of developing a foot ulcer in their lifetime – some of which are preventable.

"The diabetic foot check looks at your risks of developing an ulcer and includes a discussion about what you can do to help prevent them.

“The check is pain-free and only takes 15 minutes. The valuable information and advice you get at these appointments can make a real difference to your foot health.

"In Bradford we have a low amputation rate compared to many other areas, but healthcare is a two way thing: so if health professionals and the public work together we can continue to keep these rates low.”