Summary
The UK is introducing a new mental health support program specifically for people with diabetes, recognizing that they face higher risks of depression and mental health challenges. This comes after cases like Naomi Durnham’s, a woman with type 1 diabetes who struggled with depression and diabetes management during the Covid pandemic, highlighting gaps in existing care.
Key Facts
- People with diabetes are twice as likely to experience depression compared to those without the condition.
- Mental health symptoms can overlap with diabetes symptoms, making it harder to get the right support.
- Naomi Durnham, a woman with type 1 diabetes, experienced severe post-natal depression and had multiple hospital stays due to diabetic ketoacidosis.
- Naomi found that health services often treated her diabetes and mental health problems separately without coordination.
- New UK-first care pathways will offer tailored mental health support for diabetes patients.
- Cardiff and Vale health board provides perinatal mental health services and encourages patients to raise concerns.
- Peer support groups and charities helped Naomi during her recovery.
- People with diabetes need more holistic health assessments and better guidance to available support services.
