More than 360,000 Scots now live with diabetes, yet the care you get still depends on your postcode. Ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election, Diabetes Scotland has fired a warning shot with its hard-hitting manifesto “Care, Consistency, Choice”, demanding the next government finally delivers fair, modern diabetes care for every single person.
The charity says Scotland is sleepwalking toward a £1.5 billion annual diabetes bill by 2035 unless the next government acts fast. Right now, people in deprived areas are missing vital checks and struggling to get life-changing technology that others take for granted.
“Where you live should not decide how long you live with diabetes,” says Diabetes Scotland chief executive Claire McSorley Ross. “This inequality is shameful in 2025 Scotland.”
The Five Urgent Asks That Could Change Everything
The manifesto lays out five non-negotiable demands:
- End the postcode lottery with national minimum standards for reviews, education, and technology access
- Build properly connected care that links GP surgeries, hospitals, and community support, including fast mental health help
- Guarantee fair access to diabetes tech like continuous glucose monitors and hybrid closed-loop systems
- Put patients truly in charge through shared decision-making and faster appointments
- Invest heavily in prevention and grow the specialist workforce before the NHS buckles
These are not wish-list items. They are the basic building blocks of modern diabetes care that already exist in pockets of excellence across Scotland, but not everywhere.
The Human Cost Behind the Numbers
In some health boards, nine out of ten eligible people now use advanced technology that transforms daily life. In others, barely half get the same chance.
Parents in Glasgow tell Diabetes Scotland they fight for months to get a glucose monitor their child needs, while families twenty miles away receive it automatically. Adults in rural areas wait up to a year for specialist appointments that city patients access in weeks.
One mother from the Highlands shared: “My son nearly died because we couldn’t see warning signs at night. Families down south get alarms that wake them if levels drop. Why is my child’s life worth less?”
These stories repeat across Scotland every single day.
Prevention Crisis Looming Large
Type 2 diabetes now accounts for nine out of ten cases, and Scotland sees around 30,000 new diagnoses every year.
The charity warns that without serious prevention investment, the current 360,000 figure will keep climbing. NHS spending on diabetes already eats up one in every ten pounds spent on healthcare in Scotland.
Experts say early intervention through weight management and remission programmes can slash Type 2 diabetes risk by up to 60 percent in some groups, yet access remains patchy at best.
Political Reaction and Early Wins
Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie called the manifesto “a wake-up call the next government cannot ignore”, while the Scottish Conservatives said they would study the proposals carefully.
The current Scottish Government points to record investment in diabetes technology, with £20 million committed last year and hybrid closed-loop systems now available to thousands more people.
Yet Diabetes Scotland says these steps, while welcome, still leave thousands behind because of inconsistent rollout across health boards.
What Happens Next
The manifesto arrives at a crucial moment. Holyrood elections are just over a year away, and every major party will publish their own plans in the coming months.
Diabetes Scotland has made it clear: any party wanting the diabetes vote must commit to ending the postcode lottery once and for all.
For the 360,000 Scots waking up every morning to check blood sugars, inject insulin, or worry about complications that could have been prevented, this manifesto is more than politics.
It is a demand for dignity. A demand for fairness. A demand that Scotland finally treats diabetes with the urgency it deserves.
The next government has a choice: keep managing a growing crisis, or grasp this chance to build world-class diabetes care that works for every community, rich or poor, urban or rural.
People living with diabetes have waited long enough.
What do you think the next Scottish Government should prioritise for diabetes care? Share your thoughts below and join the conversation on social media.
