Tackling diabetes together: a partnership priority
Diabetes is one of the biggest healthcare challenges of our time. Every year, thousands of people are diagnosed with the condition, often without knowing the significant risks it brings to their health. In England, there are around 3.8 million people living with type 2 diabetes, with an additional 200,000 new diagnoses each year. Approximately 22,000 people with diabetes die prematurely every year in England. In West Yorkshire alone, around 220,000 people are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
While type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented, type 2 diabetes can often be avoided through lifestyle changes and early intervention. That’s why tackling diabetes is one of our top priorities, with a focus on increasing years of life and improving health outcomes, especially for those who experience the poorest health.
We work collaboratively across the region to:
Reduce health inequalities
- Improve prevention and diagnosis of long-term conditions like diabetes, which disproportionately affect the most deprived communities
- Narrow the gap in life expectancy between the most and least deprived communities in West Yorkshire by 10% by 2028, with a focus on those impacted by co-existing conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and chronic kidney disease
Enhance diabetes prevention
- Expand access to and uptake of the National Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP) and the Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme (T2DR)
- Identify individuals at risk of developing type 2 diabetes and signpost to support services in each of West Yorkshire’s five Places: Bradford District and Craven; Calderdale; Kirklees; Leeds; Wakefield District
Improve diabetes care and outcomes
- Achieve above-national-average performance for the NICE-recommended diabetes care processes and treatment targets for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- Use insights from national programmes like the NHS Type 2 Diabetes in the Young (T2DAY), NHS England Getting it Right First Time reviews, and national diabetes audits to improve outcomes and reduce inequalities in diabetes care
Optimise technology for better care
- Ensure equitable access to diabetes-related digital medical technologies, including continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for people living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and hybrid closed-loop systems for eligible individuals living with type 1 diabetes
- Align these efforts with the West Yorkshire Diabetes Med-Tech Commissioning Policy
- Optimise diabetes care and explore innovative solutions for better outcomes
Working together across West Yorkshire
Many people do not know that they have type 2 diabetes, even though it can potentially increase the risk of heart disease, premature sight loss and stroke.
Our approach reflects both national and local efforts, combining the expertise and resources of the NHS, Diabetes UK, commissioned organisations including Reed Wellbeing and Xyla, and from local health initiatives. By coordinating partnership efforts, we deliver on the diabetes element of the NHS Long-Term Plan while tailoring support to the unique needs of West Yorkshire communities. We are committed to creating healthier communities through prevention, care, and innovation. Together, we can tackle diabetes and create lasting health improvements for everyone in West Yorkshire. We will keep highlighting the importance of diabetes in NHS change events and the NHS Long-term Strategy
If you or someone you know is at risk of diabetes or living with the condition, explore the resources on this page by clicking on the boxes below. Also see the diabetes NHS pages and Diabetes UK.
You can also find more resources, details about our involvement activities, examples of our work and case studies covering health inequalities on our Improving Population Health Programme pages including:
Have a look at our Let's DiaBEAT this video to find out more about who is at risk, how to recognise the signs and what we can do to take control and stop diabetes from taking hold. In the video we’ve animated Dr Waqas Tahir, Clinical Diabetes Lead for the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership and Bradford District and Craven System Programme.
You can find lots more helpful information about diabetes on the NHS diabetes, Diabetes UK and DESMOND websites. You may also find the diabetes pathway pages on the NHS England website useful.