P-04-682 Introduce Routine Screening for Type 1 Diabetes in Children and Young People – Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to the Committee, 30.08.2017

Dear Mr Rowlands

Thank you for your recent letter to Dr Mair Parry and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) regarding Petition P-04-682 Routine Screening for Type 1 Diabetes in Children and Young People.

Having consulted with RCPCH members in Wales who specialise in diabetes, we feel that our response to your questions is best set out in the letter sent by Dr Christopher Bidder on Behalf of Children & Young People Wales Diabetes Network to the Chair of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee dated 16.11.16, regarding this issue. I have attached a copy of that letter for convenience. Dr Bidder is of course a member of the RCPCH as well as being Chair of the Children & Young People Wales Diabetes Network.

This letter sets out our position on the first question in particular, which is that NHS Wales should be working at applying NICE guidance consistently.  With reference to your other two specific questions, we would add that as paediatricians, our members are not in a position to speak on behalf of primary care colleagues, to whom you may wish to direct those questions.

We welcome the petitioner’s aim to raise awareness of the signs/symptoms and to improve early diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and reiterate the final point made in the letter that if the Committee wishes to hear further evidence from paediatricians with expertise in diabetes at a Committee session, we would be happy to facilitate this.

Best wishes,

Gethin Jones

External Affairs Manager, Wales / Rheolwr Materion Allanol, Cymru

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health / Coleg Brenhinol Pediatreg a Iechyd Plant