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Diabetes is one of the most significant long-term health conditions managed by the NHS, affecting millions of people across the UK. It requires coordinated care, specialist services, and dedicated healthcare professionals to manage both the condition and its complications.
📊Key Statistics:
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Over 4.3 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes.
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An estimated 850,000 people remain undiagnosed.
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Around 90% of cases are Type 2 diabetes, with 8% Type 1 diabetes and the remainder comprising rarer forms such as gestational diabetes.
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By 2030, it’s estimated that over 5.5 million people in the UK will be living with diabetes.
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Diabetes accounts for:
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1 in 6 hospital beds in England.
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185 amputations per week related to diabetes complications.
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A high proportion of kidney failure, heart disease, and stroke cases.
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The NHS spends approximately £10 billion a year on diabetes care — equating to around 5–6% of the NHS England budget.
Diabetes Facts and Services within the NHS
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The NHS England resource budget for 2023–24 was approximately £171 billion, rising to a planned £192 billion by 2025–26.
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The Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) total health and social care spending in 2023–24 was £188.5 billion, rising to £200.5 billion by 2025–26.
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Total UK healthcare expenditure (public and private) was around £317 billion in 2024, with government-funded healthcare (mainly NHS) accounting for £258 billion.
This confirms that while diabetes care consumes a substantial portion of NHS resources, it sits within a vastly larger budget that funds a wide range of health and social care services.
💷 NHS Budget Overview (2024 figures)
The NHS provides a wide range of services tailored to people living with or at risk of diabetes, including:
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Primary Care Services:
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GP-led care for diagnosis, routine monitoring, medication management, and lifestyle advice.
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NHS Health Checks for early risk identification in adults aged 40–74.
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Specialist Diabetes Clinics:
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Hospital-based multidisciplinary teams supporting patients with complex diabetes, complications, or pregnancy-related diabetes.
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Services include consultant diabetologists, specialist diabetes nurses, dietitians, podiatrists, and psychologists.
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NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP):
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A structured lifestyle change programme for people at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, focusing on diet, activity, and weight management.
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Community Diabetes Teams:
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Local services providing patient education, foot care, insulin initiation support, and complication management in community settings.
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Technology and Support Services:
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Provision of flash glucose monitors, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and insulin pump therapy for eligible patients.
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Structured patient education programmes like DESMOND (for Type 2 diabetes) and DAFNE (for Type 1 diabetes).
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🏥 Key NHS Diabetes Services:
Managing diabetes within the NHS involves a wide network of healthcare professionals, each playing a vital role:
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Consultant Diabetologists — specialists overseeing complex cases, inpatient care, and service development.
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Diabetes Specialist Nurses (DSNs) — providing advanced patient education, insulin initiation, complication management, and inpatient care.
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GPs and Practice Nurses — responsible for routine diabetes management, monitoring, and referrals.
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Dietitians — delivering tailored dietary advice and structured education programmes.
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Podiatrists — managing diabetic foot care, ulcer prevention, and treating complications.
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Clinical Psychologists — supporting the emotional and psychological aspects of living with diabetes.
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Pharmacists — assisting with medication management, reviews, and patient education.
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Retinal Screeners — providing annual diabetic eye screening services to detect early signs of diabetic retinopathy.
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Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) — supporting diabetes care through routine health checks and patient support.
👩⚕️ NHS Job Roles Involved in Diabetes Care
Diabetes remains a major public health challenge in the UK. The NHS delivers comprehensive, patient-centred care through a combination of primary, specialist, and community services, backed by a multidisciplinary workforce and a health service budget exceeding £170 billion per year. While diabetes care alone accounts for around £10 billion annually, it’s part of a larger, evolving healthcare system working to improve outcomes and quality of life for people living with long-term conditions.
