A lot is being done “behind the scenes” to make insulin pump therapy a routine option in clinic for all.
A stakeholder group has been meeting for more than 3 years, with the objectives to:
- promote free access to technology that can improve the day-to-day life and long term outcome for those with type 1 diabetes;
- significantly increase the number of people with type 1 on pumps;
- significantly increase the number of people on CGM
- and be in a position to ensure access to the artificial pancreas when it becomes available.
This group is chaired by the National Clinical Director for Obesity & Diabetes, and consists of a number of adult & paediatric pump-champion consultants, adult & paediatric pump-champion DSNs, charities/patient groups (INPUT, JDRF, Children with Diabetes, Diabetes UK), NHS and Department of Health representatives and pump company representatives.
This group established the need for:
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The Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) is currently running a national (4 nations) CSII audit. The audit was supported by Dr Rowan Hillson (the National Clinical Director for Diabetes until March 2013), and funded by ABCD, JDRF, Diabetes UK and industry. It will be the first audit of its kind to find out how many people are using pumps in the UK (rather than an estimate), and is looking at provision and standards of services for CSII with a view to raising the standards of clinical and patient education and creating a clear guideline for interpretation of the NICE technology appraisal and indications for CSII. Headline figures from the service level audit were announced in March 2013 and suggest that 6% of adults with Type 1 use a pump, and 19% of children. Full details have not yet been published, and the patient level audit, collecting anonymised data on all individuals using a pump, has not yet been completed.
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NHS Diabetes has established a network to promote the greater uptake and appropriate use of insulin pumps in line with NICE guidance. It is open to any healthcare professional or organisation in England with an interest in the development or delivery of an insulin pump service to either paediatrics or adults. (See the Clinicians / Managers page in the menu on the right)
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Pumps in Parliament:
16 April 2013 – House of Commons, see ‘column 334W’
19 March 2013 – House of Lords
16 January 2013 – House of Lords, see ‘column 765′ 8:14pm
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INPUT is a Patient Group member of the Medical Technology Group, a coalition of patient groups, research charities and medical device manufacturers working to make medical technologies available to everyone who needs them. Uptake of medical technology in the UK is not as good as it should be, given their great potential to provide value for money to the NHS, patients and tax payers. The MTG believes that patients and clinicians need better information about medical technologies so that they can make informed choices about their medical care.
The MTG is campaigning to improve access to technologies recommended by NICE, including insulin pumps.
Further information can be found here: www.mtg.org.uk
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The NHS Technology Adoption Centre‘s mission is to work directly with the NHS at a clinical, managerial, and procurement level to identify and overcome the barriers to adoption of innovative technologies which have already demonstrated clear benefits to patients and will improve system efficiency.
The project worked with 3 mentor hospitals which had pro-active pump clinics, and 3 host trusts who wanted to establish good quality pump clinics. The project is now complete, and the host trusts are running pump clinics and ready to mentor other trusts. The “How-To-Why-To” Guide was published in June 2010. Aimed at clinicians, managers and commissioners it is available online here
INPUT was actively involved in this project.
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The University of Manchester e-Research Centre is running a 3-year project to study the required adoption processes and pathways for non-pharmaceutical technologies in the NHS, including insulin pumps.
Further information can be found here: www.merc.ac.uk/
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All Party Parliamentary Groups: APPGs include members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. APPGS meet together, relatively informally, to discuss a particular issue of concern. APPGs are either country based, e.g., the APPG on Zimbabwe, or subject based, e.g., the APPG on breast cancer – the topics reflecting parliamentarians’ concerns. APPGs generally have officers drawn from the major political parties and strive to avoid favouring one political party or another. Inevitably, they tend to focus most on the governing party’s priorities, discussing new developments and inviting Government Ministers to speak at their meetings. APPGs have no formal place in the legislature, but are an effective way of bringing together parliamentarians and interested parties. APPGs allow others in the subject such as campaign groups, charities and other non-governmental organisations in the field to become involved in discussions and influence politicians. INPUT regularly attends these meetings to keep insulin pump therapy high on their agenda.
The purpose of APPG for Diabetes is to raise in Parliament the profile of diabetes and its prevention; to monitor new initiatives; and to work to ensure a better deal for people with diabetes.
Further information can be found here
Anna (from insulin independent blog) has also posted about her impressions of an APPG meeting:
http://insulinindependent.blogspot.com/2011/06/improving-access-to-medical-technology.html
The purpose of the APPG on Improving Patient Access to Medical Technology is
- To raise awareness amongst parliamentarians of the developments and the benefits to patients of medical technology.
- To highlight the barriers to the uptake of medical technology.
- To improve access to proven, cost effective medical technologies.
- To highlight the economic advantages to the NHS and the fiscal benefits to the wider British economy.
- To develop recommendations to improve access to medical technology and get more value and better quality outcomes for the patient, the NHS, the taxpayer and the wider economy.
See our