We, the undersigned, call upon the UK Government and NHS England to expand eligibility for Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) to all individuals living with Type 2 Diabetes, regardless of insulin‑use status. Current  policy restricts CGM access primarily to Type 1 Diabetes and a limited subset of Type 2 patients, leaving millions without a clinically proven tool that improves safety, reduces complications, and lowers long‑term NHS costs.

 
Why CGM Is Essential for Type 2 Diabetes

1. The scale of Type 2 diabetes in the UK is unprecedented - Over 5.6 million people in the UK are living with diabetes, and around 90% of these cases are Type 2 Diabetes. An additional 13.6 million adults are at high risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Approximately 1.2 million people are estimated to have undiagnosed Type 2 Diabetes. This means 1 in 3 UK adults are directly affected by diabetes or pre‑diabetes.

2. Diabetes is consuming a significant portion of NHS resources. Diabetes costs the NHS £10.7 billion per year, representing around 10% of the entire NHS budget. 
Of this, £6.2 billion is spent on treating complications such as amputations, kidney failure, heart disease, and stroke—many of which are preventable with better glucose monitoring. 
Including indirect costs (lost productivity, premature death), the total UK burden reaches £14 billion, projected to rise to £18 billion by 2035. 

3. CGM reduces complications and long‑term NHS spending. CGM provides:

• Real‑time glucose readings
• Trend analysis
• Alerts for dangerous highs and lows

Evidence shows CGM use in Type 2 Diabetes leads to:

• Lower HbA1c
• Fewer hypoglycaemic episodes
• Better medication optimisation
• Reduced emergency admissions

Given that complications account for over 40% of diabetes spending, CGM is a cost‑saving intervention. 

4. CGM supports lifestyle‑based management
Most Type 2 patients rely on:

Diet
Exercise
Oral medications
CGM helps them understand how food, stress, sleep, and activity affect glucose in real time—leading to more effective lifestyle changes and reducing medication escalation.

5. CGM improves equity

Type 2 Diabetes disproportionately affects:

• Ethnic minority communities
• Lower‑income households
• Older adults
• Restricting CGM access widens existing health inequalities.

6. CGM improves mental health and quality of life .CGM reduces anxiety associated with unpredictable glucose levels and empowers patients with data, improving confidence and independence.

 
Our Requests

We respectfully ask the Government and NHS England to:

• Expand CGM eligibility to all Type 2 Diabetes patients, regardless of treatment type.
• Review and update NICE guidelines to reflect modern evidence on CGM effectiveness in Type 2 Diabetes.
• Fund CGM as a standard diabetes technology, not a restricted specialist tool.
• Ensure equitable access across all Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to prevent postcode‑based disparities.
• Publish a cost‑benefit analysis comparing CGM rollout vs. current spending on complications.