Toddler on pump moving back to Uk

[richiejmorris]

Hi,
We are probably moving to the Uk shortly and need to establish a few things (and forums always offer great advice).
Our toddler was diagnosed type 1 (in Australia aged 19 months) and was on epi pen injections for almost 1 year. His appetite was always masked by his condition and his sleep erratic (which results in us also looking like zombies) due to him waking up 3-4 times a night and attending him.
We started him on a medtronic pump 6 weeks ago with great results, he is asking for food and generally sleeping better with very few hypo's although he can still go quite high especially mid morning. We are still tweaking his basal rates as its early days. We just have to slowly train his body to accept / feel ok at normal BGL's as he was so used to running high. We hope then he will go all night.

Anyway, does anyone know if the NHS will fund his pump supplies as it can get quite expensive. (We get subsidised in Australia and all in it costs us about 30 quid a month).

Cheers
RJM

 

[Clorinda]

Hi,

I think this will depend on a number of things:

1) whether your child is already a british citizen. If not,you'd best check with the UK embassy in Australia as to what the rules for NHS funding are.
2) if 1) is ok then the primary care trust where you will live (some are better than others with pump things). Each trust decides their own funding. I would think however, that if he is on the pump already, there is a good chance they will fund it.

Clorinda

 

[daisynova]

Yes I agree with Clorinda - a lot of it depends on your immigration status in the UK. As long as you are either British or there on a long term visa (like a work permit or similar) then you are entitled to NHS care. However it is down to the individual PCT what they will fund. I believe that you will be able to get the infusion sets and insuliin on NHS but any extras on top of that you would have to pay for.