DRUGS for diabetics across the district cost more than £8 million in 2015/16 - rising 22 per cent from the previous 12 months - a new NHS report has revealed.

There are more than 26,000 people with diabetes living in the Bradford district.

According to figures from the new NHS Digital report, the basic cost of diabetic drugs per patient in the Bradford City CCG (clinical commission group) area was £324 a year, for the Bradford Districts CCG area it was £280.64.

Compared to the previous year, the cost of those drugs has gone up by nine per cent for the Districts CCG and 13 per cent for the City CCG.

The new report shows the rising cost of drugs for diabetes nationally is now approaching £1 billion per year, costing the country's CCGs around £2.6 million every day.

A spokesman for the Bradford City and also Bradford Districts CCGs, which  serves a population of 330,115 covering  Bingley, Shipley, Saltaire, Heaton and Tong, said costs were rising because they were working hard to help patients with diabetes stay well.

He said: “Preventing Type Two diabetes and helping those people with diabetes to manage their condition and stay healthy is a priority for both our CCGs. Diabetes is on the rise locally as well as nationally - so it is a real health challenge for us.

“Our Bradford Beating Diabetes (BBD) campaign aims to tackle the city’s biggest health problem by raising awareness of the disease and preventing people from developing it.

"Over 14,000 people have attended a check-up at their GP practice and more than 200, at high risk of diabetes, have enrolled on a diabetes prevention course.

"As a result of the campaign more people have been diagnosed with diabetes, but there potentially remain thousands of people still at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes."

He said costs were rising due to a number of factors including the number of people diagnosed, increased drugs costs, better treatments, more options and people living longer because their complications are being managed better.

"Throughout Bradford we are working hard to make sure more patients with diabetes are receiving all the vital health checks to make sure their condition is well controlled so they stay well and prevent complications, which often lead to patients being admitted to hospital and significant extra costs for the NHS.”

Bradford City CCG, made up of 27 GP practices in the city area, prescribed 201, 695 items at a cost of £2.7m in 2015/16 making up 8.7 per cent of all its prescribed items and 15.3 per cent of all prescribing costs.

Bradford Districts CCG prescribed 350,520 items, costing £5.6m, adding up to 4.9 per cent of its prescription items and 9.3 per cent of its prescribing costs.

Separate to the Bradford areas, Airedale, Wharfedale & Craven CCG prescribed 130,271 items for its patients with diabetes in 2015/16 costing it £2.6m and £307.38 per patient.

It came to 4.2 per cent of its prescription list and 9.1 per cent of its total prescription costs.

A spokesman for NHS Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG, which covers Haworth, Ilkley, Skipton, Steeton and into the Dales including Settle and above, said: “As a CCG we have been working hard to tackle the growing problem of diabetes among local people.

"Following an in depth review of the diabetes services we commission, we are taking a new approach to secure an innovative service for local people which is expected to be available from next year.

"This service will be accountable for delivering improved health outcomes to the 9,000 people in our area with diabetes by providing advice and support to manage their own condition.

"This will in turn help reduce complications including, for example, amputations and kidney disease which can be a result of poorly managed diabetes.

"To make sure people with diabetes receive high quality care, prescribing and treatment will be continuously reviewed and work to help prevent people from developing the condition will also take place."

Compared to the previous year, in 2015/16 there was a rise in the cost of diabetic drugs of 7.94% in NHS Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG.