Diabetes: Medical Equipment
(asked on 5th June 2019) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS Long Term Plan and NHS Planning Guidance commitments for 2019-20, what progress his Department has made on ensuring that patients with Type 1 diabetes benefit from life-changing flash glucose monitors in line with clinical guidelines; and if he will make a statement.
Glucose monitoring technology, such as flash glucose monitors like Freestyle Libre will continue to be available to those meeting the relevant clinical criteria.
The NHS Long Term Plan announced that the National Health Service will ensure that, in line with clinical guidelines, eligible patients with type 1 diabetes benefit from life changing flash glucose monitors from April 2019, ending the variation patients in some parts of the country are facing.
NHS England has published detailed criteria and supporting guidance at the following link:
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be reimbursed for the cost of flash glucose monitoring sensors for those who meet these criteria, which could amount to up to 20% of their type 1 diabetes populations. CCGs can also locally choose to fund flash glucose monitoring for other patients with diabetes. The guidance advises that as part of their annual review process, patients with diabetes should be assessed for suitability for flash glucose monitoring. This process can also form part of a review for a different purpose, if that occurs earlier. This will promote a systematic approach to increasing take up.