Diabetes Support

Every year, the NHS should invite you to appointments to check on your diabetes. We call these diabetes check-ups.

Check-ups are important because:

  • they can help you and your healthcare team understand how diabetes is affecting your body
  • you and your healthcare team can find any health issues that need to be treated or regularly checked
  • you and your healthcare team can make decisions about your health and your care.

Why are diabetes check-ups important?

  • It is important that you find the time to go to your check-ups.
  • Some health issues can become serious if they are not treated, such as kidney failure.
  • Going to your check-ups will mean your healthcare team can find any health issues and treat them before they get worse.

What if I am not invited to a diabetes check-up?

  • Your healthcare team wants to see you even if you feel well. Health problems do not always make you feel poorly.
  • If you are not invited to a check-up appointment, ask your healthcare team if you can book one.
  • If you have a job, your healthcare team may be able to offer you an appointment that fits in with it.
  • Staying healthy means you can keep doing things that are important to you.

What happens at a diabetes check-up?

At your check-up, a healthcare professional will do a blood test to check:

  • the average amount of sugar in your blood over the last 3 months -this is called your HbA1c
  • the amount of cholesterol in your blood – this is a type of fat that can block the flow of blood around your body
  • your kidneys are working.
  • At your check-up, your healthcare professional will also ask you to do a urine sample. Your urine sample will be checked to
  • see if your kidneys are damaged.
    • If you want to do your urine sample at home, ask for a urine bottle when you book your check-up.
  • At your check-up, your healthcare professional will check your weight and height.
  • They will also check your blood pressure. This is a measure of how hard your heart has to work to pump blood around your body.

Your healthcare professional will also check your feet to make sure blood is flowing to your feet properly and to check for nerve damage. Nerves are signals from your brain to the rest of your body. Nerves help you move and feel things

If your healthcare professional does not have time to check your feet, ask for another appointment.
Your healthcare professional will also ask if you smoke. This is so they can offer you help to stop.

What happens after a diabetes check-up?

  • Your healthcare team should contact you about your check-up results.
  • If you do not hear from them, give them a call.
  • You can agree on any care or treatment you need with your healthcare team.
  • Ask your healthcare team if you do not understand something.

You should also be invited to a diabetic eye check, usually once a year. A photo is taken of your eyes to see if they are healthy.

This will usually be done separately from your check-up. Your diabetic eye check will be done by a different team, and not usually at your local doctor’s surgery or hospital.

  • You will not be able to drive after your eye check, as you may have eye drops that make your eyes blurry for a while.

If you are worried about your diabetic eye check, you could ask someone to go with you, like a family member. If you are not invited to a diabetic eye check, you should talk to your healthcare team.

Further information

The British Diabetic Association

Find out more about diabetes on our website: diabetes.org.uk

Phone: 0345 123 2399
Email: helpline@diabetes.org.uk
Wells Lawrence House,
126 Back Church Lane,
London,
E1 1FH