Imagine starting every day with a calculation: what you eat, how you move, whether an unexpected walk or a stressful meeting will tip your blood sugars out of range. That daily mental load sets the stage for our conversation with Dr David Cheney of Diabetes UK, where we unpack the hidden frictions in diabetes care and the bright spots that are changing outcomes.
One in five people in the UK are living with diabetes, prediabetes, or undiagnosed type 2, yet only around sixty percent receive their annual care processes. Stigma pushes people away from appointments, and access to treatments still depends too much on geography.
David explains why the first year after diagnosis matters so much, and how a single empathic consultation can build confidence that lasts—while careless words can do the opposite.
David shares how Diabetes UK backs professionals through Clinical Champions, bite-sized CPD, and paired learning that equips both sides of the consultation.
Co-design has created Cornwall’s clinics where out-of-hours, one-stop checks boosted attendance and cut waits. We also address AI’s promise and pitfalls: helpful algorithms and reminders on one side, misinformation and disintermediation on the other.
We close with Diagnosis Connect, a simple but powerful idea: automatic signposts from GP systems to trusted charities at the moment of diagnosis.
That timely link can open doors to remission, prevention, mental health support, and practical tools—right when people feel most overwhelmed. If you care about better diabetes outcomes, less stigma, and services built around real lives, this conversation offers a grounded blueprint and a dose of hope.

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