How the APPG for diabetes is driving real change for people affected by T1D

“I’m Jim, the Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer at Breakthrough T1D. For the past 12 months, I have been helping to organise our political engagement and I wrote our early detection white paper. This is a cause that is very close to my heart, because I live with T1D myself.  

It’s really important to me that our policy and public affairs activity is connected to the lived experience of people affected by the condition. When talking to parliamentarians, it’s so much more powerful to root discussions in the real-world experiences and challenges faced by people who live with T1D, which is why I feel privileged that, along with my own experience, Breakthrough T1D has such a supportive and passionate community to draw on. I’ve seen first-hand how a coordinated, cross-party group can drive change and we’re committed to keep bringing positive change via our political activity.   

In the spring of 2025, we supported the relaunch of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Diabetes. The APPG plays a crucial role in our efforts to improve care and support for everyone affected by type 1 diabetes. But what is an APPG and how do we use it to help bring about real change? 

What is an APPG?

An APPG is a group of parliamentarians, which can include both Lords and MPs from any party, who have a special interest in a particular topic. There are more than 350 APPGs active in parliament, with topics ranging from policy areas to countries or regions.  

 Apart from a short break towards the end of the last Parliament, the APPG for Diabetes has been active since 2015. During this time, it has published reports, held debates in parliament and raised important issues directly with the Government through written questions.  One example of its impact came in March 2025, when the APPG secured a parliamentary debate on type 1 diabetes and disordered eating, known as T1DE. The debate provided a valuable national platform to highlight a serious and often overlooked challenge faced by many people living with type 1 diabetes. 

The current Chair of the APPG is the Liberal Democrat MP Tom Gordon. Of the APPG, Tom says: “The APPG has been a powerful tool, connecting people living with diabetes, clinicians and researchers to those of us working in parliament. It’s been fantastic to chair the group and see what can be achieved when we bring dedicated and passionate people together. I’m excited to see what this year brings for the APPG.” 

Bringing lived experience to Parliament

An APPG gives us access to the political system that would be difficult to achieve without one, allowing us to raise the profile of issues we know that you care about. This makes an APPG one of the most effective ways of communicating the voices of our community to parliament and a great avenue for driving positive change for those living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their families.  

In the year since its launch, the APPG has met to discuss topics important to our supporters, ranging from how we fund research which leads to advancements in how diabetes is managed, to improving the process of diagnosing diabetes.  

Early detection at the APPG

At the end of October, the APPG met to discuss the early detection of type 1 diabetes, where we launched our latest white paper on the subject. In the United Kingdom, a quarter of people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes only receive that diagnosis when they are already in diabetic ketoacidosis. This medical emergency is more common in very young children and in some ethnic minority communities. The white paper sets out our position on the rationale for an early detection programme and how such a programme should be designed.  

The critical need of an early detection was brought home when, at the subsequent meeting, we heard from John, who spoke about his daughter Lyla. Lyla was only two years old when she was taken to her local GP and her symptoms were missed. By the time the condition was recognised, it was too late, and Lyla died. John shared her story with remarkable courage. He reminded everyone present of what is at stake when early symptoms are not noticed. His message was clear. No family should ever experience what his family did. 

Early detection can prevent experiences like this. When there is better awareness of early signs, and when screening is more widely available, children can be diagnosed sooner, before they reach a crisis point. Families have time to understand the condition, to access support, and to avoid traumatic emergencies.  

Members of the APPG were strongly supportive of the recommendations in the white paper. Since the meeting, we have continued working closely with them to promote early detection across Parliament. This keeps the issue firmly on the political agenda and ensures that stories like Lyla’s lead directly to meaningful change.