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About this service
The Cornwall Diabetes and Endocrine services diagnose and care for patients with diabetes, endocrine and lipid problems. These include thyroid, adrenal, testicular, ovarian, pituitary and metabolic disorders and investigating the secondary causes of systemic hypertension. The team also carries out medical assessments for bariatric patients who are having weight loss surgery.
We run a number of specialist clinics at Cornwall Diabetes Endocrine Centre (CDEC) for patients who require input from several health professionals. These clinics include Insulin Pump, Diabetes Antenatal, Diabetes/Renal and Thyroid Eye Clinics
If you need to stay in hospital due to your Diabetes or Endocrine disorder, you will most likely stay on Grenville ward, our specialist renal and endocrine ward.
Diabetic Eye Screening
We run an eye screening service for patients in Cornwall with diabetes. Our mobile eye screening units visit various venues across the county on a rotation basis. This is a free service and we aim to screen all patients once a year using diagnostic photography specially developed to detect diabetic eye disease.
Paediatric Diabetes Service
The Paediatric Diabetes team looks after children and young people under 16 with diabetes.
We help our patients achieve optimal diabetes control and optimal physical, psychological, intellectual, educational and social development. We take a child, and family, centred approach, and services are tailored to fit to each individual child and family’s needs.
We have a structured education programme to empower our children and young people to self-manage their diabetes with the support of their families and others involved in their day-to-day care. We also provide Insulin Pump Therapy for those who meet the self-management and NICE guidelines criteria.
Diabetes and Endocrine Research
We have an active diabetes and endocrine research team, who recruit to national and international research projects. Your doctor may ask if you would be interested in hearing more about one of our studies. We are currently working on studies looking at Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, obesity, weight management and cardiovascular health.
Please contact the research team on 01872 254655 or email rcht.diabetesresearch@nhs.net if you would like to hear more about our research.
Contact information
- Telephone: 01872 254571
Diabetic Retinal Screening
- Telephone: 01872 254674
- Email: rch-tr.DESP@nhs.net
Where to find us
The department is based at the Cornwall Diabetes Endocrine Centre (CDEC), which is located next to the helipad, behind the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.
Outpatient clinics also take place in Penzance, Falmouth, Newquay, Bodmin and St Austell. Please contact us for more information.
Patient Information (Leaflets)
Click here for a list of our Patient Information Leaflets.
Information from the NHS website
Professional careers in diabetes and endocrinology
There are multiple ways to find out about careers in this area:
- Find out more about careers in diabetes and endocrinology on the healthcareers website
- See the Trust’s current vacancies on our careers website.
Hybrid closed loop technology for people with Type 1 Diabetes
On December 19, 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) released new guidelines regarding the use of hybrid closed loop technology: NICE TA 943 (sometimes referred to as HCL or artificial pancreas) for people with Type 1 diabetes
NHS systems have 5 years starting from April 2024 to fully implement these recommendations
During this period specialist diabetes clinical teams will be working to identify those Type 1 diabetes with the greatest clinical need who meet the criteria stipulated in NICE TA 943 to ensure they are provided with this technology first as recommended by NHSE England’s national implantation strategy
Learn more about HCL systems
More information about hybrid closed loop systems is available online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What groups have been stipulated as priority groups for Hybrid Closed loop?
- Adults with disabling hypoglycaemia, or an HbA1c of 58 mmol/mol (7.5%) or more, despite best possible management with at least one of the following:
- Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion
- Real-time continuous glucose monitoring
- Intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring
- Children and young people
- Women, trans men, and non-binary people who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
When can I be started on a hybrid closed loop?
- NICE have recommended that hybrid closed loop (HCL) technology should be offered as an option for managing blood glucose in type 1 diabetes if other methods have not achieved the desired results.
- This means that if a diabetes specialist feels that you would benefit from HCL, this will be discussed with you at a routine appointment.
- It will take time to implement this strategy and incorporate it into local services. Clinical risk and individual circumstances will be taken into consideration.
- It is likely it will take up to a few years for some people who are eligible to be offered HCL.
- The rollout will be over 5 years. Clinicians require time to do this safely and effectively.
What is the reason for a roll out over 5 years?
- In normal circumstances, the NHS would have to implement technical appraisal recommendations within three months, but nationally and locally there currently isn’t the clinical capacity to do this. There is a need to establish a diabetes workforce sufficiently trained to manage a rollout of this scale.
- As healthcare teams would be unable to offer HCL to everyone eligible straight away, steps need to be taken to start the rollout whilst allowing for more time to recruit to diabetes teams and equip them with skills to help people use the technology effectively.
- Doing so will also help tackle health inequalities, which is another important part of the strategy.
Will all people with Type 1 diabetes have access to the technology?
- Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII)
- Real-time continuous glucose monitoring
- Intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring
- You or your carer is offered a structured education programme (digital or face-to-face)
- Is competent in insulin dosing and adjustments
Do I need to contact my specialist or diabetes team?
- No, your specialist knows who you are and will either contact you or review your eligibility at your next appointment.
- If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, please advise your specialist team.
Which pump/HCL systems will you be offering?
We will review our selection locally based on the needs of our population and the cost effectiveness of devices made available by the above process
Will I be able to pick the HCL system that I want?
- You will be able to choose from the HCL systems that become available to the NHS at a cost-effective price. This is determined by the national team.
- You will be offered what has been identified as the most cost-effective solution for you and your individual needs. This will also consider your total individual insulin requirements.
I have been contacted by a diabetes devices (CGM or pump) company / representative who have told me that I am eligible for HCL and to contact my clinical team what should I do?
- You do not need to take any action.
- Your usual team will contact you or discuss this at your next planned review.
- If you are contacted by the company again, you can ask them to stop contacting you.
- If eligible for NHS-provided HCL, you should not have to pay for your therapy costs, so please do not agree to purchase directly from the company without checking with your clinical team.
I have been contacted by a diabetes devices (CGM or pump) company / representative who have told me that there is an upgrade to the system that I currently use, that I am eligible and to contact my clinical team what should I do?
- You do not need to take any action.
- Upgrades to systems may not be on the national cost-effective framework, meaning that we cannot offer them.
- Many HCL systems are provided under a 4-year contract, which means that they cannot be changed within that 4-year period.
- Your usual team will contact you or discuss this at your next planned review.
Why have some people been offered a different system to the System that I have been offered?
- People are offered HCL systems that are cost-effective and meet their individual clinical needs.
- Different systems may have different licenses for use in different circumstances, e.g., pregnancy.
- Clinical teams cannot discuss other people with you, only your personal situation.
Page last reviewed: 15 May 2026