Diabetes UK and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation have warned that people with type 1 diabetes are being left at high-risk of developing serious complications because the NHS is not providing sufficient numbers of insulin pumps.
Published today, the report revealed that only 7% of an estimated 247,500 people with type 1 diabetes in the UK have access to an insulin pump, despite usage increasing over the past 5 years. These figures are significantly lower compared to other European countries including Germany and Norway, where up to 15% of people with the condition have access to an insulin pump. In the UK, 19% of under-18s with type 1 diabetes are currently using insulin pump therapy, although this is still considerably less than other European countries. Pump usage is even greater in the USA, where 40% of people with type 1 diabetes have an insulin pump.
According to the report, the minimal use of insulin pumps in the UK is linked to a lack of healthcare professionals who are qualified to teach patients how to use a pump correctly. In particular, the report highlighted the small numbers of diabetes specialist nurses as a problem. Therefore, the charities are calling on the NHS to increase access to healthcare professionals that are experienced in pump usage, in a bid to improve pump availability across the UK.
Barbara Young, Chief Executive for Diabetes UK, said, “While not everyone with Type 1 diabetes wants a pump, it is important that those who would benefit and meet NICE guidance are able to access one, as pumps help some people to maintain a better level of blood glucose control than is possible through injecting insulin.
“This means that, long-term, having a pump can reduce risk of complications such as amputation and blindness, can significantly improve quality of life and play a real role in helping people to manage their own condition. This, in turn, can reduce the number of people with type 1 diabetes who die before their time.
The report was published by Ian Gallen, Fellow of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and was endorsed by both charities as well as the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists.
