The following transcript is computer generated

Mike Dilke: Hi, I’m Mike Dilke and you’re listening to the Relaxback UK Show, the show that explores all kinds of health topics relevant to you, your family, and your friends. Each week I talk to expert guests from a range of backgrounds to inform and entertain you. So please join the Relaxback UK family and stay tuned.
Thank you for joining me this week. The first guest is Suki Banger, a Type 2 diabetes specialist nurse. We talk about tech in relation to health and specifically Type 2 diabetes.
Suki Banger: Nearly 50% of those living with diabetes are disengaged from technology, and that really does worry me.
Mike Dilke: Then, a massive looming issue in health.
Alice Tai: If you’re not taking the full course, then the bacterial infection isn’t being treated properly, which gives it more room to start building resistance. So it’s super important, if we’re trying to keep the effectiveness of antibiotics through this campaign until years to come, to finish your course of antibiotics.
Mike Dilke: The issue is: will antibiotics continue to work? My guests for this are Alice Tai OBE, a swimming Paralympian, and Matt Dawson MBE, ex-England rugby scrum-half. Please stay tuned for a great show.
I first asked Suki Banger for a recap on what Type 2 diabetes is and who might get it.
Suki Banger: Thanks, Mike. It’s lovely to be here. Let’s keep the Type 2 diabetes definition top-line. As a specialist nurse, when I explain to people why they have this condition, a lot of them think it’s their fault—that they’ve eaten too much or are overweight. It regards your blood glucose levels starting to elevate. A lot of people don’t know they have Type 2 diabetes until something happens or they start getting symptoms, like going to the toilet a lot or losing weight. They then see a healthcare professional for a blood test called an HbA1c. This measures the accumulation of glucose on your red blood cells over three months. A diagnosis is normally two levels at 48 mmol/mol or above.
Mike Dilke: You mentioned some units there. Give me those again.
Suki Banger: These are millimoles per mole (mmol/mol). It’s also called glycated hemoglobin—essentially a “sugared” red blood cell. When people get this diagnosis, they often feel it’s a life sentence. We want to look at how technology can help.
Mike Dilke: Let’s talk about health and tech in general. Do you know the comedian Miles Jupp? He invented a new word on a BBC program: “app-nauseum.” I am a sufferer. I need an app to park my car, to get 10% off at Wicks, or to buy dog food. Do you detect a pushback on tech in the health world?
Suki Banger: Technology has moved at a phenomenal pace over the last ten years. Recent Abbott research suggests that 35% of adults are disengaged from technology—they just want to disconnect. More worrying is that nearly 50% of those with chronic conditions like Type 2 diabetes are disengaged.
Mike Dilke: I’ve found some positive things, like communicating with the NHS via electronic communication rather than letters that get lost. The NHS app is brilliant for appointments and prescriptions.
Suki Banger: Technology is so important in health. Abbott has launched a campaign called “One Step Ahead” to spark a conversation about tech disengagement and its impact on chronic diseases.
Mike Dilke: Vast amounts of data from exercise watches or home blood tests can be scary and might not change habits. We’ve been told for years to lose weight or drink less, and we’re good at ignoring it.
Suki Banger: If we look at Type 2 diabetes, I might offer a patient a CGM—a Continuous Glucose Monitor. It measures glucose levels continuously and avoids the need for finger-pricking eight times a day. Finger-pricking is painful and only gives a snapshot. A CGM, like the FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus sensor, gives you confidence. It makes the “invisible visible.” I have a family member with Type 1 diabetes who wasn’t monitoring; now he has a CGM, it’s changed his world.
Mike Dilke: How big is this device and where does it go?
Suki Banger: It’s a little sensor about the size of a two-pence piece that sits on the back of the arm. It stays there for 15 days. It’s attached with an adhesive. I’m wearing one now for educational purposes. It brought home things I didn’t realize—like how eating naan bread elevated my glucose. We can see how lifestyle changes or alcohol impact levels. Every person I see who uses a CGM becomes more positive and confident.
Mike Dilke: Does it work through the skin?
Suki Banger: It measures interstitial fluid—the liquid around the red blood cells. It is very accurate, though we always suggest having a finger-prick monitor as a backup if symptoms don’t match the reading.
Mike Dilke: Where do you see the results?
Suki Banger: There is an app, but for those who aren’t tech-savvy, Abbott provides a reader. It can also send information back to your GP via a platform called LibreView. This means reviews don’t always have to be face-to-face; they can be via phone or video call.
Mike Dilke: Is there an alarm if things go dangerously wrong?
Suki Banger: Yes, there are alarm settings for low glucose levels. It also shows arrows indicating if your levels are going up, down, or diagonally. It helps people feel much more comfortable, especially when going to bed at night.
Mike Dilke: I’ve heard about pumps that give insulin doses. Does this hook up to a pump?
Suki Banger: The sensor does partnership with pump companies, but that is more aligned with Type 1 diabetes. Access for Type 2 patients to pumps is more difficult due to different criteria.
Mike Dilke: How many people suffer from Type 2 in the UK?
Suki Banger: There are about 4 million, and levels are increasing. The “One Step Ahead” campaign encourages people to be curious and talk to their healthcare professionals. A landmark study called Freedom 2 showed that individuals using a sensor without additional healthcare professional input reduced their HbA1c by 0.6% in 16 weeks just by making self-adjustments.
Mike Dilke: That’s positive, because Type 2 costs the NHS a lot of money.
Suki Banger: Yes, 10% of the NHS budget is spent on diabetes, and 80% of that is on complications. We need to think about the beginning of the trajectory. If listeners are interested, they can visit freestyle.abbott for more information.
Mike Dilke: My next guests are Alice Tai and Matt Dawson. Their stories remind us how vital antibiotics are.
Alice Tai: I was born with a severe form of club feet and had 14 major corrective surgeries by the time I was 12. Later, I had an elective amputation. None of that would have been safe without effective antibiotics. My amputation in 2022 gave me a new lease on life, but the risk of infection was high.
Matt Dawson: Ten years ago, my son contracted bacterial meningitis when he was two. He was rushed to hospital and put into an induced coma. Antibiotics absolutely saved his life. We are teaming up with the Fleming Initiative for the “Keep Antibiotics in Play” campaign, supported by GSK.
Mike Dilke: What are the potential issues with antibiotics?
Matt Dawson: Bacteria develop resistance over time if antibiotics are overused or misused. We are looking at millions of deaths globally because bodies no longer react to the medicine. In 25 years, that number will be enormous.
Alice Tai: Only one in five people understand that antibiotics treat bacterial infections, not viruses. People often try to push their doctors for antibiotics for a cold, which does no good.
Mike Dilke: What can we do?
Alice Tai: Finish the full course. If you stop early, the infection isn’t fully treated, giving bacteria room to build resistance. Also, maintain good hygiene and stay up to date with vaccinations.
Matt Dawson: Don’t share antibiotics and don’t use them for a cough or cold. You can find out more at fleminginitiative.org/play.
________________________________________ Summary
In this episode of the Relaxback UK Show, host Mike Dilke explores two pivotal healthcare challenges: the management of Type 2 diabetes through technology and the looming crisis of antibiotic resistance.
The first segment features Suki Banger, a Type 2 diabetes specialist nurse, who discusses the high rate of “technology disengagement” among patients. Banger notes that nearly 50% of people with diabetes avoid using helpful medical tech, often due to “app-nauseum” or a lack of confidence. She highlights the benefits of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs), such as the FreeStyle Libre system. These small, arm-mounted sensors track glucose levels in interstitial fluid, providing real-time data and trend alerts without the pain of frequent finger-pricking. By making the “invisible visible,” CGMs allow patients to see exactly how specific foods and lifestyle choices affect their health. Banger emphasizes that increased tech adoption could significantly reduce the 10% of the NHS budget currently spent on diabetes, much of which goes toward treating preventable complications.
The second half of the show addresses the critical need to preserve the efficacy of antibiotics. Guests Alice Tai, a Paralympic swimmer, and Matt Dawson, a former rugby star, share harrowing personal stories about how antibiotics saved their lives—and the life of Dawson’s son—during major surgeries and bouts of bacterial meningitis. They warn that antibiotic resistance is a growing global threat caused by the overuse and misuse of these drugs. Many people mistakenly seek antibiotics for viral infections like colds, which contributes to bacterial immunity. The “Keep Antibiotics in Play” campaign urges the public to use antibiotics only when prescribed, never share them, and always finish the entire course to prevent bacteria from developing resistance.
The episode concludes with a call for listeners to remain curious about their health and to utilize available resources to ensure both modern technology and essential medicines remain effective for future generations.