14 June 2019

The following information is from our colleagues at Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

A new initiative that can help patients reduce their chances of getting Type 2 diabetes is now available.

NHS Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), in partnership with NHS England, Public Health England and Diabetes UK, is involved in a national initiative called the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme.

The programme is aimed at identifying patients who are at higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and they are referred into the programme by their GP.

To be referred to the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme you must:

  • Be aged 18 years or over
  • Not be pregnant
  • Not have a blood result confirming a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes
  • Have had a non-diabetic hyperglycaemia reading within the last 12 months

Patients are provided with personalised action plans and sessions which include advice and options for managing the risk of Type 2 diabetes. The 10-week programme covers healthy eating, lifestyle choices, help to lose weight and information about physical exercise.

Dr Julian Povey, Chair of Shropshire CCG, said: “The NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme provides tailored help over a 10-week period. We want people to think about their lifestyle and how they can eat healthier as well as undertake some form of regular physical activity, which is exactly what this programme provides.

“Simple measures and more awareness of the causes of Type 2 diabetes could be the difference between having the condition – and avoiding it completely.”

There are currently 3.4 million people with Type 2 diabetes in England with around 200,000 new diagnoses every year. While Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, and is not linked to lifestyle, Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable through lifestyle changes.

One in six of all people in hospital have diabetes, and while the condition is often not the reason for admission, patients frequently need a longer stay in hospital and are more likely to be readmitted.

Around 22,000 people with diabetes die early every year. Type 2 diabetes is a leading cause of preventable sight loss in people of working age and is a major contributor to kidney failure, heart attack, and stroke.