NHS postcode lottery means diabetics miss out on full treatments

Mon, 06 Sep 2010
Diabetes patients in Kent are missing out on the full range of treatments available for their condition, it has been revealed. There have been claims by the Medical Technology Group (MTG) that only a fraction of people with type 1 diabetes in Kent are able to receive insulin pump therapy instead of insulin injections .

MTG, which consists of patient groups, research charities and medical manufacturers, claims that only 0.25 per cent of patients in the NHS Medway area are able to use this treatment, as compared with the national average of 3.9 per cent and the target of 12 per cent recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). In other European countries, the uptake is thought to be around 10 to 20 per cent, and between 15 to 20 per cent in the US.

John Davis, a member of the MTG, said " Insulin pumps have been recommended by NICE because they are an efficient use of NHS resources and can have a dramatic impact on patients’ quality of life."

This treatment is particularly beneficial for children, as it is better to use the pump than inject a level of insulin in the morning when a parent is not aware of how active their child will be during the day.

MTG also say people who use insulin pump therapy are generally in better health and need hospital treatment less often than those who receive injections, which helps reduce costs to the NHS.

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