In a breakthrough for Britain’s NHS, more than 150 000 adults and children with type 1 diabetes will be eligible for “life changing” technology that will change their lives.
Final draft guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) recommends that people in England and Wales can get a wearable device called a hybrid closed loop system – sometimes dubbed an artificial pancreas – if their diabetes is not adequately controlled by their current pump or glucose monitor.
The device has been shown to be better at keeping blood sugar levels within a healthy range, cutting down the risk of diabetes complications, reports The Independent.
The technology works via a continuous glucose monitor sensor attached to the body which transmits data to a body-worn insulin pump: this calculates how much insulin is needed and delivers the precise amount to the body.
Nice said that, due to the need for extra staff alongside specialist training for both patients and staff, it had accepted a funding variation request from NHS England for a rollout over five years.
Final guidance is expected to be published in December.
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