The Big Interview – Dr Dawn Harper

A TV doctor with an interest in type 2 diabetes has shared how her own diagnosis of the condition has shaped her.

Dr Dawn Harper, GP and co-presenter of the Channel 4 television series Embarrassing Bodies, spoke to the Diabetes Times Editor Oliver Jelley as part of the latest Big Interview.

In the interview, Dr Harper shared her concerns as a GP about the cost of type 2 diabetes on the NHS.

She said: “We know that 10 per cent of the NHS budget is going on diabetes. That’s £10 billion, predicted to rise to £18 billion in 10 years.

“I actually feel that diabetes could bankrupt the NHS in my lifetime. At the start of my career, I made the occasional diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. It was met with real fear. People knew it meant heart attacks, strokes. They were terrified.”

She added: “Today, obviously I make that diagnosis much more frequently and it’s met with a reaction of oh yeah yeah yeah. My uncles got that, and my neighbours got that. Everybody knows someone with type 2 diabetes.”

During the conversation, Dr Harper also spoke about the benefits of continuous glucose monitoring, saying: “It is motivating to see your blood sugar rise.”

Dr Harper is a Yuwell Anytime Brand Medical Ambassador. The Yuwell Anytime CGM is set to transform the face of type 2 diabetes, which is one of the biggest drains on the NHS, and the leading cause of serious secondary health complications, such as renal failure, heart disease, stroke and nerve damage.

The new Yuwell Anytime CGM system boasts a world-first rechargeable CGM transmitter that lasts two years, slashing the cost compared to alternative CGM systems.

To watch the Big Interview, click here.

Watch this space for more Big Interviews with experts in the field of diabetes.