Ahead of World Diabetes Day on Tuesday 14 November, thousands of people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are being encouraged to ensure they have their annual diabetes care review.

Everyone with diabetes should undergo a care review at least once a year. Those who need a review, or haven’t had one for over a year, are urged to contact their GP as soon as possible, to support ongoing management of the disease.

This year, World Diabetes Day focuses on ensuring people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes have access to diabetes services and good management, which is crucial to prevent long term complications.

Currently there are 437,316 people in the West Midlands who have been diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 17 or above. Being diagnosed early, and ensuring a diabetes care annual review is conducted, is crucial for all types of diabetes. It can save lives, prevent a medical emergency, and can reduce the risk of life-changing complications later.

The health complications of poorly-managed diabetes can be serious and life-changing – this could be loss of sight, loss of limbs, increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.

The risk of developing Type 2 diabetes increases with age, and you are more at risk if you are over the age of 40. However, if you are African-Caribbean, Black African, or South Asian, the risk of developing diabetes starts to increase after the age of 25.

Professor Vinod Patel, West Midlands Clinical Lead for NHS England (Midlands) for Diabetes, said:

“It is important for people with diabetes to manage their condition. I would encourage those with diabetes to contact their GP practice and book their annual review if they haven’t already done so. It is vital that people with diabetes have their care review at least once a year so your health can be monitored.

“Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, foot amputation, kidney failure, eyesight loss and stroke. So, it’s important that you achieve your blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes control targets individualised to yourself. It is also essential that any medical issues are spotted and treated early.”

This year also marks 100 years since Frederick Banting and John Macleod won the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their discovery of insulin as a treatment for diabetes. It is still considered one of the greatest medical breakthroughs in history, which went on to save millions of lives around the world.

Pete Shorrick from Diabetes UK, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on how people living with diabetes access services, and we know that almost 50% were experiencing difficulties managing their diabetes in 2022. 1 in 3 people in the most deprived areas found it difficult to contact their diabetes healthcare team.

“Diabetes UK works very closely with the NHS to address health inequalities and other barriers and provide information to those living with diabetes about access to care. We do this through events, patient information packs in GP surgeries and pharmacies, and other initiatives so that people living with diabetes know what care to expect, feel more confident in managing their condition, and understand the importance of attending the health checks they are entitled to.

“We also work directly with healthcare professionals to ensure that they are up to date with the regular care processes, which include average blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol checks, eye screening, footcare, and other checks.”

Type 2 diabetes is preventable, and you can get help to make positive changes to your diet, weight and physical activity to significantly reduce your risk of developing the condition.

Find out if you are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by doing any of the following:

• Answering a few simple questions on the ‘Know Your Risk’ tool at diabetes.org.uk
• Taking up the offer of a free NHS Health Check to assess your risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other conditions such as high blood pressure (available for those aged 40-74)
• Asking your GP Practice to check if you are at risk.

If you have not had an annual diabetes care review in over a year, please contact your GP practice.

If you’re aged between 40 and 74, you may be eligible for a free NHS Health Check; please visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/ or speak to your GP.