A leading charity has called for the government to improve the delivery of NHS Health Checks and ensure they reach those most at risk.
The call from Diabetes UK comes as an estimated 6.3 million people are living with non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, more commonly known as prediabetes.
Diabetes UK said improving access to health checks carried out in GP practices and some pharmacies could help ensure that people who are unaware they are living with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes have the right support at the earliest possible opportunity.
Its latest diabetes prevalence figures reveal an all-time high of 4.6 million people in the UK with a diagnosis of diabetes, as well as a further 1.3 million living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.
The charity has also called for investment in diabetes prevention support for those identified with prediabetes or at high risk of type 2 diabetes, such as through the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme.
And it said continued and increased investment in better care for all types of diabetes, including more support for people newly diagnosed with the condition as well as better provision of annual diabetes health checks, was needed.
In response, a Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spokesperson said that preventative action was ‘crucial’ to tackle the ‘concerning’ prevalence of diabetes.
‘As part of our 10 Year Health Plan, we are committed to a shift from sickness to prevention to enable everyone to live a healthy life for longer,’ they said.
They highlighted the new digital NHS Health Check being developed ‘that people can use at home to understand their risk of diabetes and how to reduce it’.
And they said the government was ‘taking action to tackle type 2 diabetes-related lifestyle factors head on, including restricting junk food advertising on TV and online’.
In 2023/24, 3.6 million people were invited to attend an NHS Health Check – the highest level to date.
But of these 2.1 million did not take up the offer, the figures up to March 2024 show.
A version of this article was first published by our sister title The Pharmacist
