What is the criteria for getting a pump?

[leyland22]

Hi all!

I've been reading a lot on here recently regarding insulin pumps. Can anybody tell me what the criteria is for being eligible for one of these? I understand the NHS are not too keen on handing them out....

 

[kegstore]

I think it depends on your PCT, how keen they are about it and whether they're sufficiently resourced to cope, but pumps are still a relative novelty in the UK. As far as I know, the current eligibility goes along the lines of repeated episodes of unwarned, disabling hypoglycaemia (ie requires intervention of another), and/or inability to achieve HbA1c levels below 8.5 on MDI therapy. Here's a link to the relevant pages at NICE: http://www.nice.org.uk/Guidance/TA151

 

[phoenix]

‘Disabling hypoglycaemia' is when hypoglycaemic episodes occur frequently or without warning so that the person is constantly anxious about another episode occurring, which has a negative impact on their quality of life.

thats open to fairly wide interpretation, note its frequently or without warning. Its no longer defined as a hypo requiring another persons assistance.