Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about diabetes care and prevention.

Diabetes is one of the most serious public health challenges facing our country. Diagnoses have doubled in the last 15 years and the number of people living with the condition is estimated at close to five million. A further 13.6 million people are now at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Concerted action is needed to improve care and treatment for everyone living with diabetes, alongside better access to technologies that will support self-management. Investment in public health and measures to support the prevention of type 2 diabetes are also crucial.

The pandemic has had, and continues to have, a huge impact across society. Research shows that people with diabetes have been disproportionately affected, particularly in terms of poorer outcomes when contracting the virus. And increased pressures on the NHS has disrupted access to diabetes consultations and management services, leading to a rise in physical as well as mental health problems.

As the country begins to recover from the pandemic, it is essential that diabetes is a priority. Ministers should provide our health service, NHS staff and patients with a fully resourced rescue plan to ensure that people living with diabetes get the care they need, and that fewer people go on to develop the condition. The Government must reverse its cuts to local health grants and put public health and prevention first.

More widely, I agree that we need to improve access to new technologies that will allow people living with diabetes to better manage their condition. In my view, the pandemic has reinforced the case for technologies - such as flash glucose monitoring - which support health professionals to care for patients remotely. They also have the potential to reduce NHS spending on diabetes-related complications in the long-term.

I urge the Government to ensure diabetes care and prevention is a priority in the recovery from COVID-19. We need an NHS rescue plan to ensure our health service has the staff and modern equipment to deliver the care and treatment patients need, as well as improved access to new technologies that will allow people living with diabetes to better manage their condition.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP