Western Sydney Diabetes

Western Sydney has long been recognised as a diabetes hotspot, with rates higher than the New South Wales average. In response to this ongoing health challenge, the Western Sydney Diabetes (WSD) initiative was established in 2014.

WSD is a partnership between WentWest the Western Sydney Primary Health Network, Western Sydney Local Health District, Diabetes Australia and 140 member organisations making up the Alliance. Together we’re acting early to prevent diabetes and supporting people living with diabetes to stay well.

Why Prevention Matters

Western Sydney has some of the highest rates of type 2 diabetes in NSW, with 13% of adults living with diabetes and another 25% have prediabetes. Many people are at high risk and don’t know it. Early identification and small lifestyle changes can delay or prevent diabetes altogether. 1 

Western Sydney Diabetes (WSD), WentWest and our partners are committed to tackling this growing health crisis by increasing awareness, improving early detection, and providing targeted support to at-risk individuals. The goals are to slow disease progression, reduce the number of people at risk, and enhance long-term health outcomes for those already diagnosed. 

A range of free resources on diabetes management and prevention are available below. Health professionals can also access Western Sydney HealthPathways (username and password required). 

Diabetes Prevention

We recommend annual HbA1c testing for all adults, every year, so people at risk can be identified early and supported sooner – not when they already have complications.

Medicare Coverage:
Medicare funds an HbA1c test for diagnosing diabetes (MBS Item 73839) once every 12 months for anyone at risk — including asymptomatic adults.

Why This Matters:
Over half of adults in Western Sydney attending Medical Practices are estimated to have either prediabetes or diabetes. The risk is much higher for people who:

  • Are overweight or obese
  • Have a family history of diabetes
  • Are from Asian, Middle Eastern, Pacific Islander, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds
  • Live in lower socioeconomic areas

Download the WSD Know your risk flyer to find out more.

Access the Western Sydney Diabetes Prevention Toolkit for practical strategies to support early detection and quality improvement in diabetes prevention.

Invite your patients to explore the 2kg Challenge, a free, GP-endorsed resource hub made for Western Sydney. It gives adults at risk of type 2 diabetes simple, achievable ways to eat well, move more and stay healthy.
Patients can access trusted health information, recipes, practical tools and a calendar of free local activities at their own pace.
For those who want more guided support, they can also join the free 8-week program, with weekly emails, tips and short videos. They can also stay connected afterwards through regular news from our dietitians and socials.
It’s free, simple and flexible. Just invite your patients to take a look!

Refer your patients who: 

  • Have pre-diabetes or are at risk of type 2 diabetes (e.g., if you live in Western Sydney, are over 40, or have a family history of diabetes), and
  • Are above a healthy weight, and
  • Want easy, practical tips to eat better and live healthier

How you can get involved: 

  • Talk to eligible patients during consultations
  • Display 2kg Challenge resources
  • Share GoShare 2kg Challenge bundle
  • Encourage them to sign up at 2kgchallenge.com.au

Beating Diabetes Together

Diabetes is a problem that many parts of the community have an interest in solving. Working together, we can create a range of strategies to take the heat out of our diabetes ‘hotspot’ in Western Sydney. Success will require diabetes prevention and management to become everybody’s business and below are some of the initiatives of our WSD partnership.

Role of Primary Care

We help primary care teams feel supported. Key initiatives include:

Diabetes Case Conferencing is designed to support GPs in improving the management of patients with diabetes. Through this service, an endocrinologist and diabetes educator work alongside the GP and practice nurse to develop personalised care plans tailored to each patient’s needs and lifestyle.

The service is now also available via Telehealth, allowing safe and convenient access through video call or phone.  This first Virtual Care (VC) appointment is run as a joint case conference for which GPs can bill as case conference item number 739

GPs can send your referrals via email, fax or contact to our Administration Team as listed below:

Visit Westen Sydney HealthPathway Diabetes Non-Urgent Diabetes Assessment for more details and referral forms.

Developed through a partnership between WentWest and Western Sydney Diabetes, the Diabetes Dashboard supports practices to take a deeper look at their diabetes population and identify opportunities to strengthen care. Through tailored whole-practice sessions, teams review their data, explore quality improvement opportunities and receive practical recommendations to support better outcomes for people living with diabetes and prediabetes.

This ongoing initiative is designed to meet the needs of each practice, helping teams build confidence in diabetes care while tracking progress over time. 

Contact your WentWest primary care representative to enquire, or email us at support@wentwest.com.au

People with diabetes require careful foot care and a comprehensive foot examination at least once a year. To support this, WSD has developed the 60-Second Diabetic Foot Screening Tool, designed to educate patients, nurses, and clinicians on the importance of conducting annual foot checks. Find out more on the six simple steps to keep you and your loved ones on your feet flyer or visit the Save a Leg webpage.

    Developed by local GPs, specialists, nurses and allied health providers, HealthPathways supports health professionals by providing local, relevant information on managing medical conditions and referral options for their patients.  The most commonly viewed Diabetes related pathways include:

Group-style consultations bringing together patients with similar needs, improving access to education and peer support.

Training and Education

The Western Sydney Diabetes Masterclass ‘Beyond Glucose’ Series 2026 has wrapped up for the year, but all online sessions have been recorded and are available to view. You must register through myINTERACT here to gain access.

View our Events Calendar for all WentWest training and external event opportunities.

Community-led Prevention Programs

We partner with local organisations to make prevention culturally safe and relevant, including:

Other community and place-based groups include Healthy Living Toongabbie and Filipino Australian Diabetes Support Network (FADSN). You can find out more here.

Healthy Lifestyle Support

We make prevention practical and local. Programs and resources include:

Kitchen Garden Program at Home
Healthy Living Options Affordable Food Guide
Healthy Living Western Sydney Guide
Heart Foundation Walking Groups

Resources and Updates

Last updated 9 November 2026

1. Meyerowitz-Katz G, Seelan S, Gaur P, Francisco R, Ferdousi S, Astell-Burt T, Feng X, Colagiuri S, Maberly G, Hng T-M. Detecting the hidden burden of pre-diabetes and diabetes in Western Sydney. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2019;151:247–251.