NHS: Diabetes

Baroness Ludford Excerpts

Thursday 26th May 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

My Lords, diabetes is a key priority of the Government and part of the mandate that was given to NHS England for this year. The noble Lord is right—the direct cost to the NHS of treating diabetes is actually about £5 billion every year. Variation is the critical aspect that we should focus on. Whether it is foot care or the incidence and treatment of diabetes, across the country there is a huge degree of variation. The work being done with Diabetes UK on a national audit for diabetes will play a big part in reducing that variation.

[Baroness Ludford (LD)]

My Lords, are the Government satisfied with the overall cost-benefit analysis of the provision of insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors? I should mention that my own husband has those. NICE guidelines are quite restrictive, and only a fraction of those who qualify get them. Many people self-fund, yet the long-term cost savings to the NHS of good blood glucose control and avoiding organ damage are enormous. Will the Department of Health look again at whether the benefits outweigh the relatively small costs?

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

My Lords, there are clear NICE guidelines on the use of insulin pumps and blood glucose monitoring equipment. For type 1 diabetes, NICE does not recommend their use unless there is clear evidence that the patient will comply with such use at least 70% of the time. The advice from NICE is clear on the use of both.