Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have been selected as one of the second wave of sites across England to be included in the National Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP). 

There are more than 28,000 people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly who have non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, a high level of sugar in their blood, which in turn puts them at risk of diabetes.

The associated risks to health if you develop diabetes include heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, blindness and dementia.

One in 10 adults in Cornwall have diabetes and of these a quarter will not yet be aware that they have it. 

GP Dr Alison Flanagan, of Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group, said: ’Prevention and Primary Care is identified as one of five priorities. The NDPP is an ideal opportunity to work together across the system on a priority area that will have a huge and on-going impact on our population.’

The programme will begin in April 2017 and people who are eligible will receive a letter directly from their GP surgery to invite them to be a part of the programme.

If people have concerns they could visit the ’preventing diabetes’ section on the Diabetes UK website www.diabetes.org.uk