HARWICH residents living with diabetes have been told of the new services which will be available for them later this year.

The new services will be introduced from April 2014 which will see a specialist team work in the community to provide clinics.

It is hoped this work will lead to fewer hospital visits for patients. From April 1 the service will be delivered by a new provider, the Suffolk GP Federation, who will work with GP practices in Tendring, Colchester and Colchester Hospital University Foundation Trust.

A specialist diabetes consultant will be part of the team and local GPs will be trained to provide higher level care at their practices.

Residents heard about the new scheme after an event was held, alongside Diabetes UK, at the Long Meadows Community Centre