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- 27
Hi Guys.
Well to cut a long story short, I first went on the Accu-Chek combo in 2011. I love the pump and was told that in 4 years time I would get an upgrade to whatever new pump is on the market. That happens to be the new Accu-Chek Insight. They have been writing and emailing for a little while now saying that I am due an upgrade. So yesterday I made the phone call and the gentleman I spoke to at Roche said that my upgrade for a new pump was due "no later than june 2015". He went onto explain that's when my warranty runs out on the Spirit Combo pump and therefore if a serious problem developed after then that caused the pump to no longer work then they could not replace it with a brand new one as it would be out of warranty, hence ordering a new pump, and that being the new Insight pump. That all made sense to me so I contacted the Diabetes department where I am seen and the diabetic nurse that I spoke to told me that the policy on pump replacements had since changed and for a pump like the Spirit Combo it was now a case of letting it basically continue working until it no longer worked. My reaction was one of utter disbelief because it's essentially playing russian roulette with somebody's life and is a dangerous precedent to set. It appears that the CCG who make all of the purchasing decisions is behind this change in approach and both the gentleman at Roche and the diabetic nurse at Northampton I spoke to yesterday agreed that it was crazy to have this strategy in place. It appears that Northamptonshire is one of the few that have chosen to do it this way, whereas the rest of the country is on board for replacing pumps for the latest ones after that 4 year period. I am going to write to the CCG in Northamptonshire, because it greatly disturbs me that such a thing can be in place. I've had the scary scenario played out where my pump stopped working over 2 years ago, and it's very unsettling. To think that I could have a repeat process that is inflicted by a monetary decision is scandalous.
Can anyone offer me some further insight or advice please as to whether they have faced similar challenges.
Many Thanks
Well to cut a long story short, I first went on the Accu-Chek combo in 2011. I love the pump and was told that in 4 years time I would get an upgrade to whatever new pump is on the market. That happens to be the new Accu-Chek Insight. They have been writing and emailing for a little while now saying that I am due an upgrade. So yesterday I made the phone call and the gentleman I spoke to at Roche said that my upgrade for a new pump was due "no later than june 2015". He went onto explain that's when my warranty runs out on the Spirit Combo pump and therefore if a serious problem developed after then that caused the pump to no longer work then they could not replace it with a brand new one as it would be out of warranty, hence ordering a new pump, and that being the new Insight pump. That all made sense to me so I contacted the Diabetes department where I am seen and the diabetic nurse that I spoke to told me that the policy on pump replacements had since changed and for a pump like the Spirit Combo it was now a case of letting it basically continue working until it no longer worked. My reaction was one of utter disbelief because it's essentially playing russian roulette with somebody's life and is a dangerous precedent to set. It appears that the CCG who make all of the purchasing decisions is behind this change in approach and both the gentleman at Roche and the diabetic nurse at Northampton I spoke to yesterday agreed that it was crazy to have this strategy in place. It appears that Northamptonshire is one of the few that have chosen to do it this way, whereas the rest of the country is on board for replacing pumps for the latest ones after that 4 year period. I am going to write to the CCG in Northamptonshire, because it greatly disturbs me that such a thing can be in place. I've had the scary scenario played out where my pump stopped working over 2 years ago, and it's very unsettling. To think that I could have a repeat process that is inflicted by a monetary decision is scandalous.
Can anyone offer me some further insight or advice please as to whether they have faced similar challenges.
Many Thanks