Shaping diabetes services in Suffolk and North East Essex

More than 4.7 million people have diabetes in the UK (3.3 million in England) and the number of diagnoses has doubled in the past 20 years.

If not managed well, diabetes can lead to complications such as:


  • amputation
  • sight loss
  • kidney failure
  • stroke
  • heart disease
  • death

The NHS spends £2.5 billion every year on caring for diabetes patients in hospital.


Currently, community diabetes pathways vary across the three Alliances in Suffolk and North East Essex.

To provide a good and equal service across the whole of our region we need think about:


  • the 'future shift’ of services
  • finances and contracts challenges
  • podiatry services which currently differ across Suffolk and North East Essex
  • education for patients and family carers
  • education for admin and clinical staff
  • workforce planning


During 2024, healthcare partners in Suffolk and North East Essex have been engaged in a pathways review where a diabetes report was conducted and recommendations given. More information about the key findings of the National Diabetes Experience Survey 2024 for Suffolk and North East Essex can be found here.

A service review process to co-produce a service model and service specifications has now started. This process will lead to a successful procurement of a community diabetes service. A timeline for the procurement process and next steps can be found to the left of this page.


The Integrated Care Board long-term conditions team are seeking valuable input from patients and family carers with lived experience of diabetes (type 1 and type 2).

All the meetings of the diabetes service user group have now taken place. Further information and engagement opportunities for diabetes services will be added to this page in due course.

More than 4.7 million people have diabetes in the UK (3.3 million in England) and the number of diagnoses has doubled in the past 20 years.

If not managed well, diabetes can lead to complications such as:


  • amputation
  • sight loss
  • kidney failure
  • stroke
  • heart disease
  • death

The NHS spends £2.5 billion every year on caring for diabetes patients in hospital.


Currently, community diabetes pathways vary across the three Alliances in Suffolk and North East Essex.

To provide a good and equal service across the whole of our region we need think about:


  • the 'future shift’ of services
  • finances and contracts challenges
  • podiatry services which currently differ across Suffolk and North East Essex
  • education for patients and family carers
  • education for admin and clinical staff
  • workforce planning


During 2024, healthcare partners in Suffolk and North East Essex have been engaged in a pathways review where a diabetes report was conducted and recommendations given. More information about the key findings of the National Diabetes Experience Survey 2024 for Suffolk and North East Essex can be found here.

A service review process to co-produce a service model and service specifications has now started. This process will lead to a successful procurement of a community diabetes service. A timeline for the procurement process and next steps can be found to the left of this page.


The Integrated Care Board long-term conditions team are seeking valuable input from patients and family carers with lived experience of diabetes (type 1 and type 2).

All the meetings of the diabetes service user group have now taken place. Further information and engagement opportunities for diabetes services will be added to this page in due course.

Page last updated: 02 Oct 2025, 04:11 PM