Diabetes Screening in London. Catch It Early, Change the Outcome

Last updated June 2026

Medically reviewed by the GMC-registered doctors at The Online GP by The Wellness

Type 2 diabetes is one of the few serious conditions you can often prevent, and one of the most commonly missed until damage is done. According to Diabetes UK, more than 12 million adults in the UK, around one in five, now live with diabetes or prediabetes, and roughly 1 million people have type 2 diabetes without knowing it. A simple blood test tells you where you stand. This guide explains who should be screened and what happens next.

Want to know your diabetes risk for certain. Message The Online GP by The Wellness on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.

How do I know if I have diabetes or prediabetes

The reliable way to know is a blood test. The main one is HbA1c, which reflects your average blood sugar over roughly three months, alongside fasting glucose where needed. Many people with early type 2 diabetes or prediabetes feel completely well, which is exactly why testing, not symptoms, is how it is found.

This is the part most people underestimate. Diabetes UK reports that around 30 percent of people with type 2 diabetes in England are undiagnosed, and among younger adults aged 16 to 44 that figure rises to about half. People assume they would feel unwell, but early raised blood sugar is usually silent. By the time thirst, tiredness, frequent urination or blurred vision appear, the condition is often established. A single HbA1c test cuts through the guesswork. It is quick, does not always require fasting, and gives a clear answer about whether your blood sugar is normal, in the prediabetes range, or in the diabetes range.

Who should be screened for diabetes

You should consider diabetes screening if you are over 40, have a family history of type 2 diabetes, are of South Asian, Black African or African Caribbean background, carry excess weight around the middle, have high blood pressure, or have had high blood sugar in pregnancy. Risk also rises with age, so periodic checks make sense even without symptoms.

Ethnicity matters more than many realise. Diabetes UK notes that people from Black and Asian backgrounds have more than double the prevalence of prediabetes and undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, and often develop it at a younger age and lower body weight. That means standard assumptions about who is at risk can miss people entirely. If any of these factors apply to you, a baseline check now and periodic checks afterward is sensible. A doctor can also calculate your overall risk and decide how often you should be tested.

To get screened and know your numbers, enquire on WhatsApp here.

Can prediabetes be reversed

Yes, prediabetes can often be reversed, and even early type 2 diabetes can sometimes be put into remission. This is the single most important reason to test early. Prediabetes is a warning, not a diagnosis of diabetes, and acting on it changes the trajectory.

The evidence here is genuinely encouraging. Research including the NHS DiRECT trial has shown that a meaningful number of people with early type 2 diabetes can achieve remission through significant, supported weight loss. Prediabetes responds even more readily to changes in diet, activity and weight, guided by a doctor. The catch is timing. The earlier you find raised blood sugar, the more reversible it is. Left undiscovered for years, the same condition progresses to one that needs medication and carries risk to the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves. Screening is how you stay on the reversible side of that line.

What does diabetes screening at The Online GP by The Wellness involve

Diabetes screening at The Online GP by The Wellness involves a doctor consultation, an HbA1c blood test and relevant metabolic markers, and a clear interpretation of what your results mean. If results show prediabetes or diabetes, you leave with a plan and, where helpful, a connection to the right partner services.

The process is designed to be useful, not just informative. A GMC-registered doctor reviews your history and risk factors, the in-house service runs HbA1c along with related markers such as cholesterol, kidney function and liver markers that complete the metabolic picture, and the doctor explains the results the same day. If you are in the prediabetes range, the focus is a practical plan to bring your numbers down. If you are in the diabetes range, the doctor discusses next steps, which may include medication, monitoring, and where appropriate a connection to trusted endocrinology or weight management partners. The Online GP by The Wellness stays your go-to point of contact throughout.

For a screening with answers the same day, message us on WhatsApp.

Why screen privately rather than wait

Screening privately means you can be tested this week rather than waiting for symptoms or a routine NHS check that may be years apart. With a condition where early detection changes the outcome, the value of acting now is real, not theoretical.

The honest comparison is timing. An NHS Health Check is offered to many adults every five years, which is sensible at a population level but leaves a long gap for an individual at rising risk. Private screening lets you test when it suits you, get the result interpreted by a doctor immediately, and act while the numbers are still reversible. For anyone with risk factors, that window matters. The cost of a blood test is small against the cost, in health and in money, of diabetes found late.

Frequently asked questions

What blood test checks for diabetes

The main test is HbA1c, which measures average blood sugar over about three months. Fasting glucose may also be used. The Online GP by The Wellness runs HbA1c and related metabolic markers in house, with same-day doctor interpretation.

Can I have diabetes without symptoms

Yes. Many people with early type 2 diabetes or prediabetes feel well. Diabetes UK estimates around 1 million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes without knowing. Testing, not symptoms, is how it is found.

Who is most at risk of type 2 diabetes

Risk is higher with age over 40, family history, South Asian, Black African or African Caribbean background, excess weight around the middle, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar in pregnancy. A doctor can assess your overall risk.

Can prediabetes be reversed

Often yes, through changes to diet, activity and weight guided by a doctor. Even early type 2 diabetes can sometimes go into remission. The earlier it is found, the more reversible it is.

How do I book a diabetes screening

Send a WhatsApp message and a GMC-registered doctor will arrange a consultation and HbA1c test, usually the same week, with results explained the same day.

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