New research to shape enhanced diabetes support across Wales

New research has revealed key insights into how people with Type 2 diabetes in Wales can be better supported to live well for longer with the condition.

The study highlighted the experiences and needs of people living with Type 2 diabetes across the country and the clinicians that support them, including how people with Type 2 Diabetes are highly motivated to manage their condition, but they can find it hard to absorb information around the time of diagnosis.

Following the research, commissioned by Public Health Wales, NHS Wales is developing a comprehensive package of enhanced diabetes support.

Underpinned by behaviour change models and frameworks and conducted by Beaufort Research between February and May 2025, the study involved in-depth conversations with 50 adults living with Type 2 diabetes and 15 healthcare professionals across Wales who provide care and support to people living with diabetes.

The conversations explored the barriers and facilitators to patients’ engagement with health services, attending appointments, seeking support when required from a range of professionals such as GPs, practice nurses, diabetes specialist nurses, dietitians, diabetic eye screeners, podiatrists, and hospital consultants – among others – to help people live well with and manage their diabetes, for example.

They also discussed self-management of Type 2 Diabetes, including things like taking medication as prescribed, checking blood sugar levels, and being active everyday.

The research highlighted that:

• People with type 2 diabetes are highly motivated to manage their condition when given the right support and information.
• Knowledge and skills were built through healthcare professional advice, personal research, and learning from others’ experiences.
• Some struggled to absorb information, especially around the time of diagnosis.
• Healthcare professionals want to provide consistent, empowering care but need better resources.
• Family and cultural support plays a crucial role in successful diabetes management.
• Emotional and psychological wellbeing significantly impacts self-management success
• Digital technology is not yet being harnessed enough.
• Difficulties accessing services were common, including securing appointments, limited availability, inconvenient timings, and transport issues.
• Healthcare professionals also described systemic pressures (e.g. workload, staff shortages, limited psychological support for patients) that affected service delivery.
• Workplace-related challenges sometimes limited participants’ ability to attend appointments or manage their condition.

Dr Esther Mugweni, Deputy Head of Evaluation at Public Health Wales, said: “What struck us most was the strong commitment from both patients and healthcare professionals to work together to optimise outcomes.

“To be able to effectively self-manage diabetes a person needs tailor made information and the opportunity to ask questions, as and when they need to and this is impossible to deliver in any one healthcare appointment. This research has given us a clear understanding of how we can better support both groups to achieve their shared goals.”

Building on these insights, the Tackling Diabetes Together Programme at Public Health Wales is developing four new initiatives designed to strengthen the partnership between patients, families, and healthcare professionals, including:

1. An Enhanced Digital Support Hub: A new user-friendly NHS Wales diabetes resource hub providing easily accessible, trusted information for patients, families and healthcare professionals, ensuring everyone has access to the same high-quality resources.
2. Healthcare Professional Support Pack: Comprehensive materials designed with and for clinicians and patients to support consistent, empowering conversations from the point of diagnosis onwards.
3. NHS Wales App Enhancement: Working with the NHS Wales app team to prioritise diabetes-specific functions that will help patients track their progress and stay connected with their care.
4. Strengthened Peer Support: Linking with NHS Wales organisations, Diabetes UK Cymru, T1D Breakthrough and public sector partners to enhance and expand peer support programmes across Wales, recognising the powerful role of shared experiences in successful management.

David Taylor, Transformation Director at Public Health Wales, said: “Diabetes without proper treatment destroys and shortens lives. But with the right care, support and information, people with diabetes can live long and healthy lives.

“For someone newly diagnosed, the right support may even lead to remission. This is why it’s so important that they receive the right level of support to enable them to do this.

“These initiatives will ensure every person diagnosed in Wales gets that foundation of support from day one and working together with our dedicated healthcare professionals, complement our existing All Wales Diabetes Prevention Programme, which reduces the risk of people with pre-diabetes progressing to diabetes by 23 per cent.”

Dr Julia Platts, National Clinical Lead for Diabetes in Wales: “A person with diabetes makes around 180 decisions daily to effectively self-manage their condition. To do this they need a huge amount of knowledge on diet, activity, understanding of administering insulin, or other medications and how these three elements interact together, treatment of high and/or low glucose and what to do when unwell, menstrual changes, or changes to their daily routines.

“We welcome this enhanced wrap around support that will enable the person with diabetes to access support when they need it, feel confident in making these decisions, and to know when and where to go to when they need clinical support.”

People with diabetes spend approximately 8,757 hours per year managing their condition independently, compared to just 3 hours with healthcare professionals. This emphasises the importance of ensuring patients are supported to feel confident and well-equipped for self-management.

Public Health Wales reiterated that, with over 220,000 people in Wales currently living with diabetes, the Tackling Diabetes Together Programme represents a collaborative approach to improving outcomes and ensuring everyone has the support they need to live well with their condition.

When Binky Thomas from Abercynon was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes nearly forty years ago, she had no idea that she was even at risk, let alone that she might be already living with type 2 diabetes.

Binky said: “When I was first diagnosed, I couldn’t believe it! I felt overwhelmed and chose to ignore it. But everything that could go wrong with diabetes, I’ve had, and I bitterly regret that.

“My message is clear: don’t wait. Type 2 diabetes isn’t just about medication, it’s about taking control of your health before it’s too late, so seek support, ask questions, learn all you can about the condition, so you are in control of diabetes instead of it controlling you.

“These new resources will make such a difference – knowing there’s a trusted place to find answers and connect with others who understand what you’re going through will mean managing diabetes will be so much easier for so many.”

For more information on the All-Wales Diabetes Prevention Programme, visit All Wales Diabetes Prevention Programme – Public Health Wales.