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Healthcare facilities for Type1 diabetes

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AR0512

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My son has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
I wanted to know the cost of the treatment in UK? If it's free for kids then until what age? Do they provide medical supplies like iport and insulin pens?
How is the experience of parents and kids with the health care professionals and facilities?
 
Type1's get an prescription exemption certificate when we hit 16 I think (need to renew every 5 years) so we don't need to pay for prescriptions (I was diagnosed in 1977 - I have never paid for a prescription in the UK)
Insulin pens, needles, test strips will all be on prescription so will be covered by that exemption certificate

As for extra things like iPort's and pumps and sensors, these will need funding from the hospital - and if you get funding then it is covered as well
 
As @Rokaab explained, diabetes care is covered by the NHS in the UK.
For people with Type 1, of any age, this includes insulin, pens (reusable ones are better for many reasons), blood glucose meter and strips. Most of us fund our own hypo treatment but have heard that some have glucogels on prescription.
Pumps and CGMs are available if you meet various criteria defined by NICE. These criteria maybe interpreted differently by CCG.
Which I guess brings me to the quality of care. It varies. I have heard of very few who need to go private but the best care is self learnt. Diabetes is a condition which is very different from person to person so the best care is the care you give yourself.
 
AR0512 said:
My son has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
I wanted to know the cost of the treatment in UK? If it's free for kids then until what age? Do they provide medical supplies like iport and insulin pens?
How is the experience of parents and kids with the health care professionals and facilities?
Click to expand...
Nhs Healthcare isn't free for all unless you are legally and ordinarily resident in the UK
See here
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/vis...s-in-england-if-you-are-visiting-from-abroad/
 
Daibell said:
If you are newly resident you can buy into the NHS thru an initial lump payment and then further payments until after 5 years, I think, you have full rights.
Click to expand...
This isn't the case. It used to be my policy area a few years back and as far as I know has not been altered in the last five years. Anyone legally and permanently resident in the UK (as described above) has full access to the NHS without charge. "Permanently" in practice means about six months or so, but the decision is up to the organization treating the individual. I don't know of any way of "buying into" the NHS: there might be some confusion over the need to pay national insurance contributions towards a state pension, but the two are separate.
 
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