Nearly 30,000 people across the country with Type 1 diabetes have received life-changing diabetes monitors as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.
The new devices, which are the size of a £2 coin and worn on the arm, means people with Type 1 do not have to carry out multiple painful finger-prick checks to monitor their blood sugar levels. New data shows 28,453 patients have received the monitors and 177,521 monitors were prescribed within the first three months.
‘Providing flash monitors on the NHS is a huge leap forward and it is fantastic to see the roll out make an instant impact, this is another example of how the NHS is making sure patients can benefit from the latest technologies,’ said Prof Partha Kar, NHS National Specialty Advisor, Diabetes.
‘I’m thrilled with how many people are already benefitting from the device and doing away with inconvenient finger-prick checks, less than a year into delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan, tens of thousands of people are experiencing first-hand the difference that cutting edge treatments on the NHS are making for people living with Type 1 diabetes across the country.’
The NHS Long Term Plan also commits to rolling out continuous glucose monitors from April 2020 for every pregnant woman with Type 1 diabetes, in its latest step to harness the power of digital technology. Others who quaify for a monitor include people with type 1 diabetes who need intensive monitoring (more than 8 times every day), people with diabetes associated with Cystic Fibrosis on insulin, and those with Type 1 diabetes unable to routinely self-monitor blood glucose due to disability.
‘It is fantastic that tens of thousands of patients are already benefitting from the rollout of the latest wearable health technology, part of this government’s commitment to increase funding to support the NHS Long Term Plan,’ said Prevention Minister, Jo Churchill.
‘We are putting the power back in the hands of people with Type 1 diabetes, so they can more easily manage their condition, from their smart phone. I look forward to these numbers growing, as more people are empowered to use this innovative technology to improve their quality of life.’