Diabetes UK chief executive Chris Askew is leaving to take the same role at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).

He will take charge of the GPs’ body in October 2023 and is leaving Diabetes UK after eight years as its CEO.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to lead Diabetes UK for the past eight years, during which time people with and affected by diabetes have needed a voice and positive change more than ever before, and the charity has sought to highlight the seriousness of diabetes as a condition affecting over five million people in the UK. I hope in my time here we have risen to those twin challenges,” said Askew.

“I am looking forward enormously to leading and working alongside the brilliant team at RCGP to deliver excellence in General Practice, advocate for patients, and give voice to the expert clinicians at the heart of our health service.”

Before joining Diabetes UK Askew spent more than eight years at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, as director of fundraising and its chief executive for more than four years.

He is also a former director of fundraising at homelessness charity Crisis and assistant director of external affairs at Action for Children.

The charity’s chair Carol Homden said: “I know from experience the esteem and admiration in which Chris is held by his colleagues here, who will miss him even as they wish him well.

“I know the Trustees and all here at Diabetes UK will join me in congratulating Chris, and wishing him the very best in his new, much deserved position as chief executive of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Meanwhile, RCGP chair Mike Holmes said that Askew “has already impressed us with his grasp of the many challenges facing the College and general practice – along with the solutions he is proposing – and we very much look forward to working with him, learning from him, and benefiting from his vast experience and expertise”.

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