Diabetes · NHS Care · Preventive Health
If you've had a text or letter about your diabetes annual review, or you're not entirely sure when yours was last, you're not alone.
Plenty of people with diabetes go longer than they mean to between reviews without ever meaning to let it slip. This guide covers what actually happens at the review, what to do if it's been a while since your last one, and the questions genuinely worth asking while you're there.
What is a diabetes annual review?
A diabetes annual review is a routine part of NHS care — something everyone with diagnosed diabetes in the UK is entitled to at least once a year, whether it's type 1 or type 2. It's not a test you can fail. It's a planned check to make sure your treatment is still right for you and to catch anything early that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Some of what gets checked happens every time you see your GP or diabetes nurse — blood pressure, for instance. Other parts, like your foot check or eye screening, are done annually, or sometimes every two years if previous results were clear.
What's actually covered — the checklist
According to Diabetes UK, these are the checks everyone with diabetes should be offered at their annual review:
If your foot check or eye screening haven't happened recently, it's worth asking directly — these two sometimes get handled by a different team and can slip through the gaps if you're not tracking them yourself.
If it's been a while since your last review
Life gets in the way. Appointments get missed, rebooked, missed again. Sometimes it's simply been easier not to think about it, especially if there's a small worry underneath about what a review might show.
Here's the honest, unpressured version: there's no penalty for a late review. Nobody's going to tell you off. What's actually happened is a missed opportunity for an early check — not a crisis, and definitely not something worth spending energy feeling bad about now.
The most useful thing you can do isn't to dwell on the gap. It's to close it. Ring your GP practice and ask to book a review, rather than waiting for the next automatic reminder to land. If you've genuinely lost track of when your last one was, the practice can tell you — you don't need to remember it yourself before you call.
If something's changed since your last review — new symptoms, a different medication, a health scare, anything at all — it's worth mentioning that specifically when you book, so the practice knows it's not just a routine catch-up.
Questions worth asking at your review
A few direct questions tend to make the appointment more useful, whatever stage you're at with your diabetes.
- “What's my individual HbA1c target, and why has it been set at that level?”
- “Have all the checks on the standard list been done this year — including my feet and eyes?”
- “Are there any early signs of anything I should be keeping an eye on?”
- “Is my current medication still the right fit, given anything that's changed for me this year?”
- “What would I actually notice if my blood sugar dropped too low, and what should I do about it?”
None of these need to feel confrontational. Most GPs and diabetes nurses are used to — and genuinely welcome — a patient who comes with a short list rather than trying to remember everything on the spot.
How to prepare beforehand
A little preparation makes the appointment go further, particularly since these reviews are often fairly short.
- Jot down anything that's changed since your last visit — not just physical symptoms, but energy, sleep, mood, anything that feels different, even if you're not sure it's relevant.
- Bring a current list of everything you're taking, including anything not related to diabetes.
- Bring recent letters — any hospital visits, new prescriptions, or letters from other specialists since your last review.
How Hea fits in
One of the easiest things to lose track of with a yearly check is, well, the year — twelve months slips past faster than it feels like it should, especially when nothing's gone obviously wrong in the meantime.
Hea can send a gentle reminder when your review is likely due, and gives you somewhere to note how you've actually been feeling between appointments — energy, sleep, anything that's changed — so you're not trying to reconstruct the past year from memory when you finally do sit down with your GP.
Hea
Your free 24/7 health companion for life with a diagnosis
Works alongside diabetes and prediabetes, remembering your history and turning weeks of how-you've-been into something worth bringing to your next review.
Start on WhatsAppFrequently asked questions
What happens if I've missed my diabetes annual review?
Nothing punitive — there's no penalty. It simply means an early check has been missed, which is worth closing rather than dwelling on. Contact your GP practice to book one as soon as it's convenient, rather than waiting for the next automatic invitation.
How long does a diabetes annual review take?
It varies by practice, but most reviews are relatively short — often built around a ten to fifteen minute slot, sometimes with blood tests done separately beforehand. This is part of why bringing a short, prioritised list of questions helps make the time count.
Can I request my diabetes annual review early if I'm worried about something?
Yes. You don't need to wait for the scheduled date if something's changed or you're concerned — contact your GP practice and explain what's prompting the request.
Is a diabetes annual review the same as seeing a diabetes specialist?
Not usually. Most annual reviews happen through your regular GP practice, often with a practice nurse who has specific diabetes training. A specialist referral is a separate step, usually only needed if something specific comes up that needs closer attention.
Sources
- Diabetes UK, Diabetes health checks (annual review) — diabetes.org.uk
- NICE, Type 2 diabetes in adults: management (NG28)
- NHS, Diabetic eye screening — nhs.uk
