Smartphone test for type 2 diabetes launches in the UK

In a move that could change how millions are tested for type 2 diabetes, NHS trusts in Cumbria and North East England have begun piloting what they call the world's first smartphone-based test. Instead of waiting months for a diagnosis, patients can now get results in under ten minutes. Officials are calling it a "potential game-changer," and there's already talk of a nationwide rollout later this year.

As Health Minister Stephen Kinnock put it, this is "exactly the type of technology we want to see in the NHS... bringing our health service firmly into the 21st century and care directly into people's homes."

How does it work?

The tool, called the Diabetes Health Check app, was developed by Cambridge-based health tech firm PocDoc. The process is simple:

• A quick finger-prick test measures HbA1c levels, the gold standard for diabetes screening because it reflects blood sugar averages over the past two to three months.
• Results are processed in minutes on a smartphone, offering a far broader picture than single daily glucose checks.
• Everything happens in community clinics — or even at home — rather than relying on stretched hospital labs.

Steve Roest, PocDoc's CEO, said: "There's an enormous gap in screening people for preventable diseases. The current system - not just in the UK, but globally - cannot find, risk assess, and diagnose enough people to make any dent in the fight against things like heart attacks, strokes, and type 2 diabetes."

Why does it matter?

The stakes are enormous. Type 2 diabetes is climbing fast in England, driving up risks of heart disease, strokes, and long-term disability. By catching it early, the NHS can shift from damage control to prevention — potentially saving billions in treatment costs.

Kinnock argued that this innovation dovetails neatly with the government's ten-year NHS plan: "We will make using the NHS as simple and convenient as online banking or shopping, while helping companies bring new technology into the health service more quickly."

For patients, this means fewer trips to the GP, faster answers, and the possibility of treatment or lifestyle changes before the disease snowballs.

The context

This launch comes just a day after the government unveiled its biggest shake-up in diabetes care in a decade. New guidance opens the door for earlier use of weight-loss drugs like liraglutide and semaglutide for around 750,000 people with cardiovascular disease or early-onset diabetes.

The pilot project, now underway in North East England and North Cumbria, is backed by Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria (HI NENC). If successful, the program could spread nationwide — making finger-prick smartphone tests as common as home pregnancy kits.

In many ways, this isn't just about diabetes. It's about a healthcare system trying to keep pace with modern life. As Roest hinted, the old way of waiting months for test results is a relic. The new approach? Quicker, cheaper, closer to home — and potentially life-saving.