Public Health Wales and Diabetes UK Cymru have launched the country’s first nationally consistent support packs to guide patients and primary care professionals from the point of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
A Point of Diagnosis (POD) pack comprises one resource for patients, titled Living Well with Type 2 Diabetes, and a clinical toolkit for healthcare professionals.
It is aimed at establishing a uniform standard of care across NHS Wales. The launch coincides with a newly redesigned NHS Wales diabetes digital resource hub.
Wales' diabetes crisis is accelerating, with 230,371 people diagnosed (an annual increase of 7,685). An estimated 328,000 additional adults are living with prediabetes or undiagnosed disease, meaning approximately 20% of Welsh adults are affected.
Research by the Tackling Diabetes Together Programme revealed that 67% of newly diagnosed individuals experienced feelings of guilt or shame.
The clinician toolkit provides communication templates, checklists, and compassionate language guidance to help primary care teams maximise limited consultation times and counter diagnostic stigma.
Maria Cole, National Dietetic Clinical Lead for Diabetes and Prevention, highlighted the multidisciplinary scope of the resources: “Every diagnosis conversation matters. Whether it takes place with a GP, practice nurse, dietitian, pharmacist or another healthcare professional, it is an opportunity to help someone understand their condition and take positive action.
“These resources support clinicians to have those conversations confidently and consistently, while helping people access the information and support they need to feel better, stay healthier and reduce their risk of future complications.”
David Taylor, Transformation Director at the Tackling Diabetes Together Programme, noted that past support varied widely based on geography and provider, adding that the new co-designed packs give people the tools to prevent long-term complications such as cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, and sight loss.
Endorsed by Diabetes UK Cymru, the bilingual English and Welsh packs and digital resource hub are now being embedded across NHS Wales primary care settings.
