A new paper published in Diabetic Medicine highlights how a targeted, multidisciplinary approach can make a real difference for adults living with early-onset type 2 diabetes.
Led by Dr Jonathan Goldney, a clinical fellow working under the supervision of Professor Dame Melanie Davies and in collaboration with colleagues across our Lifestyle theme, the novel clinical service set out to address a well-recognised gap in care.
People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at a younger age often experience more rapid disease progression and poorer outcomes, yet services are not always designed around their specific needs.
To tackle this, the team developed a specialist clinic model focused on those at highest risk, supported by proactive case finding in primary care and flexible, patient-centred appointments in secondary care. Individuals were identified and referred based on clinical risk factors, then offered tailored support through a coordinated, multidisciplinary service.
The findings show clear and meaningful improvements over time. Measures such as HbA1c, blood pressure, weight and BMI all showed meaningful reductions at both six and twelve months, alongside improvements in lipid profiles for many patients. These changes were supported by increased use of evidence-based treatments, suggesting that the model helped strengthen both clinical outcomes and overall care quality.
Patient feedback, while limited in volume, was also encouraging and points to the value of a more responsive and personalised approach. The combination of earlier identification, flexible delivery, and joined up working across services appears to be an important part of what made the model effective.
Dr Jonathan Goldney, lead author, said: “This work shows what can be achieved when we identify people earlier and bring together the right expertise around them. By designing services that are flexible and focused on those at highest risk, we can deliver meaningful improvements in outcomes and start to address some of the inequalities seen in early-onset type 2 diabetes.”
Overall, the paper provides a strong example of how redesigning services around specific patient needs can lead to measurable improvements. It reinforces the importance of collaboration between primary and secondary care and highlights the potential of targeted, data-informed approaches.
This work reflects a genuinely collaborative effort across the Leicester Diabetes Centre, with contributions from clinicians, researchers and wider partners who played a critical role in designing, delivering and evaluating the service. The breadth of expertise involved has been key to developing a model that is both practical and impactful in real-world settings.
This publication is an important addition to the evidence base for improving care in early-onset type 2 diabetes and highlights the strength of the team behind it, as well as Leicester’s continued leadership in driving innovation that makes a difference for patients.