Diabetes health check launches in UK

A new smartphone based health check speeds up diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and could ease NHS pressures

UK launches world first smartphone health check for type 2 diabetes

The Diabetes Health Check app from Cambridge-based PocDoc combines the HbA1c finger prick test with smartphone analysis. It is being piloted in NHS trusts in Cumbria and the North East, with a nationwide rollout planned later this year. Officials say the test can cut diagnosis time from months to under 10 minutes and could help curb rising diabetes numbers and related costs.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the rollout as a potential game changer for the NHS ten-year plan, while PocDoc chief executive Steve Roest says the goal is to reach people who struggle to attend traditional clinics. A pilot led by HI NENC is testing the approach in the North East and North Cumbria before broader community delivery and a take-home version later in the year.

This technology could reshape how the NHS detects diabetes, moving testing from clinics into communities and homes. It may lower hospital admissions and long-term complications if adopted widely. However, success hinges on protecting patient data, ensuring reliable results, and integrating with existing NHS IT. The plan also faces budgetary and political scrutiny as the service scales up digital health tools in a tight funding climate.

Highlights

Careful rollout and strong data safeguards will determine whether this tech lives up to its promise