Hospital admissions offer vital opportunity to improve diabetes and cardiovascular care, says expert
Hospital admissions should be seen as a vital opportunity to address gaps in diabetes, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic care, a leading diabetologist has told delegates at CVRM Professional Care 2026.
Dr Jason Cheung, Consultant Diabetologist and Clinical Lead for Inpatient Diabetes Care at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, highlighted how hospitals could play a greater role in identifying unmet healthcare needs and improving outcomes for people living with multiple long term conditions.
Speaking at the event on Tuesday, October 20, Dr Cheung said: “A lot of people miss out on diabetes, cardiovascular, renal and obesity care in primary care, community care and outpatient settings.
“With more than six million hospital admissions across the NHS each year, this presents a very good opportunity to catch up and make sure people do not miss out on the care they need.”
His presentation, Inpatient admission: a window of opportunity to address multiple long term conditions, explored how healthcare professionals can make better use of hospital stays to identify and address gaps in treatment.
Dr Cheung explained that national healthcare data highlights significant missed opportunities to optimise care for people with diabetes and related conditions outside hospital settings.
He argued that hospital admission provides an important chance to review patients’ wider health needs, rather than focusing solely on the immediate reason for their admission.
He said: “There is a lot of evidence, including scientific data, to suggest that hospital is the right place to try to catch up on missed care and ensure people do not miss out.”
The session examined opportunities to improve cardiovascular, renal and metabolic health through earlier identification of multiple long term conditions, treatment optimisation and the safe initiation of cardiometabolic therapies during hospital stays.
It also highlighted the importance of effective discharge planning to ensure improvements made during admission are maintained when patients return to the community.
A key focus was the need for stronger collaboration between multidisciplinary teams and better communication across hospital, primary care and community services.
Alongside his clinical role, Dr Cheung is an Honorary Associate Professor at Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, and a member of the Joint British Diabetes Societies for Inpatient Care committee.
He is also a Diabetes UK Clinical Champion and chaired the Diabetes UK Professional Conference 2026.
His work focuses on improving inpatient diabetes safety, quality of care and healthcare outcomes through clinical research, education and service improvement.
In 2021, his inpatient diabetes team received the Royal College of Physicians Excellence in Patient Care Award.
CVRM Professional Care is taking place on October 20 and 21. Learn more here: https://www.cvrmprofessionalcare.uk