A project which improved diabetes care across Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge has been shortlisted for a national health award.

The Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCG) were named as a finalist for diabetes care initiative of the year in the annual Health Service Journal (HSJ) Value Awards.

The awards seek to recognise and reward outstanding efficiency and improvements in patient care nationwide and celebrate the teams and people who are making things better in the NHS.

Led by the NHS CCGs for Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge (BHR), and involving all 199 GP practices across the area, the work has improved diabetes care and treatment across the three boroughs.

It follows on from award winning work started in Baking and Dagenham which has led to an improvement in type 2 diabetes diagnosis rates and better advice for thousands of people living with the condition.

Dr Jyoti Sood, a GP who works out of Newbury Park, said she was extremely pleased to be nominated for the award and that the hard work of local practices to improve patient care was recognised.

As a result of the project, the estimated number of undiagnosed diabetes cases across the boroughs fell by more than 11,000 last year.

Clinical director for Havering, Dr Ann Baldwin said: 'This project was a great achievement as we worked with GP practices across the three boroughs to use the same quality improvement methodology to improve diabetes care in line with the best national standards.

'This has seen significant and swift improvements across the board, in a short period of time.'

Dr Anju Gupta, GP from Abbey Medical Centre in Barking, added: 'We are delighted our work is identifying and treating more people with diabetes.

'Our priority has always been to tackle inequalities and we want everyone to access the same quality of care, wherever they live.'

The HSJ Value Awards winners will be announced in Manchester on May 21.