Today Eddie and I went to Poole hospital for his 3 month review. Eddie’s levels have been haphazard of late due to his new regime at a new, larger school. Injecting several times a day is a laborious and time consuming if not inconvenient at times (especially when you are 12 years old and hanging out with your mates)!

I had previously phoned Poole Diabetes Clinic asking for the possibility of a pump and was promised the consultant would be e mailed about my concerns about Eddie’s control and the necessity for an insulin pump.

Eddie and I arrived at the clinic, optimistic and hopeful something positive was going to happen.

Eddie’s last few HbA1c’s have been above 8.5 which depicts poor control, not critical but not acceptable in ‘the diabetic world’. As we sat chatting with the doctor we discussed his decline of control and the need for an insulin pump. A pump can have a dramatic impact on a patient’s clinical outcome and quality of life, I know I am living proof.

Eddie and I became despondent as the doctor stated that only 5 children a year get issued with a pump, (Poole hospital) and as there was no more funding until April, our enthusiasm of earlier completely dissipated. I emphasised that he needed tighter control which I know is perfected via an insulin pump and said surely Eddie met the criteria. Apparently Eddie doesn’t under the NHS rules. He also has to have severe hypos!!

So basically if you have poor glucose control and frequent hypoglycaemic episodes you are on the list but hey it’s a postcode lottery so you’ll be lucky!!

In a survey of 152 Primary Care Trusts in England it appears this ‘postcode lottery’ is appearing everywhere, causing lack of access to insulin pumps for children and adults with type 1!

NICE (the commissioning body) recommends that the benchmark should be 12% of people with type 1 or 33% children under 12. The average provision is only 3.9% across the country. Only 2 trusts Blackburn (17%) and Halten and St Helens (13%) exceed the NICE benchmark. Other areas only have a handful of children using pumps.

FACT: ‘Only 5% of 113 PCT’s have a strategy in place to implement NICE guidance on insulin pumps.

I can’t believe that our children have been deprived of new technology that is available in order that their care and control is the best it can be. Instead there are some children with poor control storing up future complications and thus incurring more costs for NHS!!

Something needs to be done now!

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