Understanding type 2 diabetes in Enfield

This report was produced by Healthwatch Enfield after Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) was identified as one of the top three health priorities by Enfield residents in the 2025–2026 annual survey. The aim of the research was to understand residents’ awareness, confidence, and experiences of managing or preventing Type 2 Diabetes, particularly among communities at higher risk, and to identify gaps in education and support.

Between November 2025 and January 2026, Healthwatch Enfield engaged 119 residents through a combination of community workshops and an online survey. The workshops involved 89 participants from four community organisations and included facilitated discussions alongside expert input from diabetes specialist nurses and a dietitian from North Middlesex University Hospital. An additional 30 residents took part in the online survey, which gathered borough-wide perspectives, including from groups less likely to attend face-to-face sessions.

The report highlights that Type 2 Diabetes disproportionately affects older adults, people living in deprived areas, South Asian and Black communities, and individuals who are overweight or physically inactive. Local data shows particularly high prevalence among South Asian residents in Enfield, as well as elevated rates among Black African and Black Caribbean communities. Digital exclusion, lack of GP registration, and socioeconomic inequalities were identified as key contributors to delayed diagnosis and poorer access to support.

Findings from the workshops revealed widespread gaps in knowledge about the causes, symptoms, and management of Type 2 Diabetes prior to participation. Many attendees reported confusion about dietary advice, blood sugar monitoring, HbA1c results, and the long-term implications of the condition. After attending the workshops, participants showed substantial improvements in knowledge and confidence. The proportion of participants who reported having “a lot” of knowledge about T2D causes and risk factors rose from 33% before the sessions to 54% afterwards, while those reporting little or no knowledge fell significantly. Confidence in recognising symptoms and supporting someone with T2D also improved across all measures.

Both workshop and survey participants consistently reported barriers to healthy living, including the cost of healthy food, limited time, chronic pain, neurodivergence, mental health challenges, and cultural food expectations. Many participants described feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or isolated in managing their condition and felt that current services were too short-term for a lifelong condition.

The online survey echoed these findings, with respondents reporting limited access to consistent, practical, and ongoing diabetes support. Many residents stated they had never attended structured diabetes education and often relied on informal sources of information. Digital exclusion emerged as a major barrier, particularly affecting older people and some ethnic minority communities, limiting access to digital referrals, online education programmes, and GP services.

Overall, the report concludes that education is the central unmet need for people living with, or at risk of, Type 2 Diabetes in Enfield. Residents want clear explanations of why lifestyle guidance matters, not just instructions on what to do. They expressed a strong preference for simple, culturally relevant, non-digital information delivered through trusted community settings, alongside improved communication and follow-up from primary care.

The report makes a series of recommendations, including improving access to printed and visual information, expanding community-based diabetes education, strengthening clinical communication, and actively reducing digital exclusion. It also calls for more targeted outreach to men, younger adults, and underserved ethnic communities, and for diabetes education programmes to be delivered regularly to support long-term behaviour change.