MUCH is made of postcode lotteries and York and Scarborough have fallen foul of another; with new figures showing they have some of the highest rates of diabetic patients having amputations in England.

According to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Vascular Disease the reason is straightforward; too many patients aren’t getting the treatment they need to avoid losing their legs.

Clearly this is a serious problem; any unnecessary amputations are worrying, but so too is why they happen. Because that is dependent on where you live and the policies of local health authorities.

How can this be? Surely there should be a single NHS policy for operations like these that have a profound effect on an individual’s quality of life.

These figures must be used in evidence to make that happen.