RAPID: Reducing Amputations in Diabetes

Monitoring and management of foot problems related to diabetes presents significant financial cost to the NHS through primary and community care, outpatient costs, inpatient bed occupancy and prolonged hospital stays. Foot ulcers and amputations are the leading cause of diabetes-related hospital admissions of around 47%. Over £60 million is spent on foot ulcers and amputations each year in Scotland alone.

This project benefits people living with diabetes by using a portable connectivity hub to enable community-based diabetic foot ulcer monitoring, thereby reducing travel time and costs while improving equity of access. Community-based podiatrists carrying out home visits will additionally benefit and gain from knowledge exchange through interaction with diabetes specialist multidisciplinary teams based throughout NHS Highland

Objectives
Reduce waiting times for diabetic foot ulcer monitoring and management
Encourage implementation of local diabetes care, reducing health inequalities, travel costs, and time
Facilitate training opportunities for community-based podiatrists in foot ulcer management

Potential impacts and outcomes
Improved diabetic foot ulcer monitoring and management has the potential to reduce foot amputations, improve community-based care, and deliver cost savings to NHS Highland. Successful implementation of technology-enhanced monitoring will be used to inform national monitoring strategies and guidelines.