Health Secretary to meet dad over diabetes plea

7 hours ago

Eleanor MaslinEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

News image — Lyla's Law was set up after two-year-old Lyla Story died from undiagnosed type 1 diabetes

Story family A two-year-old girl with shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes is wearing a dark top with white stars on it. She is sitting on a chair and is holding up her right hand. — Lyla's Law was set up after two-year-old Lyla Story died from undiagnosed type 1 diabetes

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he would meet the father of a two-year-old girl who died from undiagnosed type 1 diabetes.

Lyla Story, from Hull, died in May last year less than 24 hours after her mother had taken her to their doctor who diagnosed acute tonsillitis, an inquest heard in September.

Her father, John Story, is campaigning for Lyla's Law which would see routine tests for those showing symptoms of type 1 diabetes. On Thursday, Streeting told BBC Radio Humberside he would meet with Lyla's family.

Story said he was "cautiously optimistic" but "very hopeful" he would hear from Streeting in the next few days.

John Story sits in front of a TV and white fireplace in a living room decorated for Christmas. He has short fair hair and is wearing a yellow shirt. A Christmas tree and window can be seen in the background. A gold "Christmas" sign hangs near the window. A stocking hangs from the fireplace. — John Story says Lyla would be alive today if she had been tested for type 1 diabetes

A voice clip by Story was played by presenter Carla Greene to Streeting when he took part in a series of rapid-fire interviews with BBC local radio presenters.

In the clip, Story said: "There are too many people getting diagnosed in critical care, especially young children who cannot advocate for themselves and express what they're feeling.

"It's on your watch Wes. Please meet with me."

On air, Streeting replied: "That's the easiest question to answer. Yes, I'll definitely do that.

"If you pass the details to me today, I'll get my office to get in touch and we'll get him in as quickly as we can."

Story said: "I just hope he stays true to his word and it goes ahead.

"I am really proud if I get the opportunity to speak about Lyla's Law to him on a face-to-face scale."

Story family A head and shoulders picture of Lyla - a two-year-old girl. She is on a swing in a children's park. She has short brown hair and is smiling broadly at the camera. She is wearing a pink cardigan and pink top. — John Story says he is hopeful he will hear from Wes Streeting in the next few days

A petition calling for Lyla's Law has more than 120,000 signatures, meaning it should be debated in Parliament in the coming months.

Guidelines given to GPs by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) state that, if doctors suspect type 1 diabetes in children and young people, they should be referred immediately to a specialist for diagnosis.

Story said he had received more than 400 emails from other parents with children who have been diagnosed.

He said he would make sure Streeting "reads every single one of them".

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