Boots and Diabetes UK have defended their diabetes risk assessment service against GPs' claims that it could confuse patients and increase NHS workload.

The organisations dismissed arguments that the pharmacy-based screening service, launched last Tuesday (January 22), could force GPs to bear the brunt of "unnecessary workload" generated by referrals. But Boots and Diabetes UK countered that running the service in pharmacies would boost earlier diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

The BMA's GP committee (GPC) suggested this week that the service, in which Boots pharmacists ask customers seven questions to assess their likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, had not been "properly thought through".

"The point is we're only going to be referring people who are at high risk and, in the end, they're patients that GPs would be seeing anyway" Steve Banks, Boots

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"Diabetes is a complex disease to diagnose and, without face-to-face interaction and assessment by a GP, patients could become unduly worried and confused," GPC chair Laurence Buckman told C+D. "This could result in unnecessary work for GPs and other healthcare workers, as they would have to pick up the consequences of these concerns," Dr Buckman argued, stressing that the NHS could ill afford the extra workload in the current climate.

But Boots superintendent pharmacist Steve Banks hit back at the criticism in an exclusive interview with C+D on Tuesday. He argued that the service could help people make lifestyle changes at the early stages of type 2 diabetes or before they even developed the condition, reducing the overall burden on the NHS.

"The point is we're only going to be referring people who are at high risk and, in the end, they're patients that GPs would be seeing anyway," he stressed.

"From a patient perspective, I think pharmacy is really set up to provide this type of service and, with Boots being a national chain, we're really accessible to people," Mr Banks said. "If the risk factor is low, pharmacists are well placed to provide lifestyle advice and, if someone's at high risk, to refer them to the GP."

Diabetes UK said pharmacy interventions would help stop the "unsustainable increase in spending" on diabetes, which accounts for 10 per cent of the NHS budget. "The Boots in-store risk assessments are really good news, as they give GPs the chance to diagnose people with type 2 diabetes earlier than would otherwise have been the case," said Diabetes UK chief executive Barbara Young.

"This should be seen as supporting GPs to work with the local community to improve health outcomes and, in the long term, both of these things will save GPs time, save the NHS money and, most importantly, prevent devastating complications and early death," she argued.

The Boots service forms part of the health and beauty giant's strategy to support patients with long-term conditions and involves pharmacists asking patients seven questions on the risk factors for type 2 diabetes, including age, gender, waist circumference and ethnic background.