NEWS RELEASE - for immediate publication
23rd June 2025
Open Letter to the Prime Minister & Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care of the United Kingdom
Urathon Europe Ltd Offers Government Solution to the Type II Diabetes Epidemic, to rescue the NHS and Economy
Following Rachel Reeves' recent announcement to invest a record £29 billion into the NHS, with part of £10 billion of that to be spent on technology and digital transformation, healthcare giant Urathon Europe Ltd, in partnership with Medtech Giant Yuwell, and with support of Dr Dawn Harper MBBS MRCP DCH DFFP, is campaigning to stop the spiralling Type II Diabetes Epidemic.
Rachel Reeves told the House of Commons: "There's no strong economy without a strong NHS." Never has this statement been truer than it is today.
OPEN LETTER:
Friday 20thJune 2025
Dear Sir,
I am the Executive Chairman of Urathon Europe Ltd, VIP supplier to the NHS during Covid for PPE using our extensive Chinese supply chain and our wholly owned Chinese factories. A new part of my business is a supplier of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) for Type II and prediabetes.
Data from Diabetes UK and the NHS tells us that there are over 12 million people in the UK living with prediabetes or Type II, representing over 17% of the UK population. In just five years (2018 to 2023) we saw a staggering increase in Type II diagnoses of over 1400%. I am seriously concerned that current predictions from Diabetes UK, outlined in their recently unveiled 10-year vision in the House of Commons, are a terrifying gross underestimate, and that we are in a state of crisis akin to Covid - Type II Diabetes is a UK epidemic, in fact also a global pandemic.
The NHS currently spends £10.7 billion on diabetes (10% of total NHS budget), £8 billion of which is on the extremely serious complications, including renal failure, heart disease, loss of sight and amputations. In addition, there is another £16.9 billion being spent on indirect costs, such as benefits and sick leave.
It is known from established medical authorities that EVERY WEEK in the UK Type II diabetes causes 660 heart attacks, 930 strokes, 2,990 heart failures and 184 amputations. These statistics are staggeringly awful.
The current NHS Diabetes Prevention programme has extremely poor uptake, resulting in saving just 18,000 people from progressing to Type II. This is a tiny percentage of the 12 million plus people who are at risk.
WE HAVE A SOLUTION WHICH WE STRONGLY COMMEND TO YOU.
The NHS could offer free Continuous Glucose Monitoring systems (CGM) to people eligible to enrol onto the National NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme and elsewhere. The use of CGM is clinically trialled and tested to result in remission of Type II, thus preventing patients having heart attacks, strokes, heart failures and amputations through lifestyle changes.
We can supply extremely competitive prices to allow the NHS to implement the solution we offer.
The ONLY cure for the UK's Type II diabetes epidemic is prevention and remission - we believe this can be achieved with CGM technology.
Our Medical Ambassador, Dr Dawn Harper MBBS MRCP DCH DFFP, a practicing NHS GP, author and broadcaster was recently at the House of Commons for a diabetes event and spoke with Sarah Bool MP, who is a representative of the Diabetes APPG. Dr Dawn believes that diabetes alone will bankrupt the NHS in her lifetime.
I urge you Mr Streeting to consider this matter as a top priority, in line with Government spending review. The health of both the nation and the economy are at serious risk.
Dr Dawn Harper and I would appreciate meeting with you at any time or place to discuss how we can support Government to control this epidemic.
Yours sincerely,
Hugh Sims Hilditch
Executive Chairman - Urathon Europe Ltd
ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT:
Jo Welch -jo@urathon.com+ 44 (0) 7767 416092.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About Urathon
Exclusive UK distributor
Urathon is an international manufacturing and supply chain organisation with headquarters in the UK. From there they operate a world class manufacturing facility and supply chain in China.
Urathon was a VIP supplier to the NHS during Covid for PPE, using their extensive Chinese supply chain and wholly owned Chinese factories.
Urathon services customers in the UK, Europe and rest of the world including Australia and the USA. Their main area of expertise is the production of Aids for Daily Living and Medical Devices, along with specialised parts for the automotive and other businesses.
In 2025 Urathon signed contracts with Yuwell in China to exclusively distribute next generation Continuous Glucose Monitoring system in the UK.
Urathon is celebrating its 35thAnniversary this year.urathon.com
About Yuwell
Global Manufacturer
Yuwell is headquartered in Nanjing, China, with subsidiaries, R&D centres, and manufacturing facilities across the globe. Their guiding principle is to focus on the needs of their users.
Yuwell has built a comprehensive medical service platform that brings professional medical technologies and advanced product solutions into everyday life, creating a health ecosystem that integrates homecare, clinical treatment, and digital solutions.
All of this is driven by one purpose: to alleviate patients' suffering and enhance the capabilities of medical professionals.
With nearly three decades of innovation, Yuwell has played a key role in setting industry standards and delivering outstanding products in the fields of homecare and chronic disease management. They serve 10 major medical sectors, including respiratory therapy, diabetes care, medical diagnostics, AEDs, medical imaging, traditional Chinese medicine, and more.
Yuwell has operated internationally for nearly 20 years, proudly improving the quality of life for people around the world. Their primary manufacturing hub is located in Danyang, Jiangsu, just over an hour by train from Shanghai. Covering approximately 700,000 square meters, the facility includes a CNAS-accredited national product lab, smart manufacturing technologies, digital workshops, flexible production lines, an unmanned warehouse and integrated digital user services.
Yuwell is a global leader in home healthcare medical devices, committed to meeting the needs of individuals worldwide. We believe that maintaining good health is essential to a high quality of life and that everyone deserves access to world-class medical technology.
Yuwell's vision is to become one of the top three home healthcare medical device groups in the world.
DR DAWN HARPERMBBS MRCP DCH DFFP
Dr Dawn qualified from Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School in 1987 and spent several years working in various hospital specialities during which time she became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians.
In 1995 she moved into General Practice and continues to work as an NHS GP today. She is passionate about promoting healthy longevity and alongside General Practice, she has set up and run weight management and women's health clinics.
At the Primary Care Show 2025 in the NEC, Dr Dawn delivered a hard hitting presentation on Type II Diabetes, which can be viewed here: https://www.drdawn.com/public-speaking
Dawn has also worked in the media for the last 20 years. She is perhaps best known as a presenter on Channel 4's BAFTA award winning "Embarrassing Bodies", which has been sold to 120 different territories and continues to be watched by millions today. She has worked extensively across a variety of other live and pre-recorded television and radio shows and for many years was resident GP to ITV's daytime show "This Morning".
She has authored 12 books and continues to write regular columns for women's magazines. Dawn's favourite book, and the one she is most proud of, is titled "Live Well to 101". In it she looks at all the factors that influence healthy longevity and meets centenarians living fulfilled lives who share their secrets with her. She is passionate about empowering people to adopt healthy lifestyle changes.