Asked by: Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they will provide to Clinical Commissioning Groups for making available the FreeStyle Libre glucose monitoring system to all diabetics who require it.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
In January 2018, NHS England issued guidance in the form of a letter to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) concerning the provision of glucose monitoring devices. The guidance states that the treatment of diabetes and the provision of glucose monitoring devices is a service commissioned by individual CCGs. Local CCGs are responsible for deciding how they allocate resources dependant on the needs of their local population. A copy of this guidance has been attached.
Asked by: Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the decision to make the Freestyle Libre glucose monitoring system available on the NHS to diabetic patients, whether they will ensure that that system is available to all who require it in all parts of England.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
Reducing variation in the management and care of people with diabetes by 2020 is an objective in the National Health Service mandate. The NHS RightCare diabetes pathway shows the core components of an optimal diabetes service, as well as evidence of the opportunity to reduce variation. Ultimately it is for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), who are primarily responsible for commissioning diabetes services, to meet the requirements of their population. In doing so, CCGs need to ensure that the services they provide are fit for purpose, reflect the needs of the local population, are based on the available evidence and take into account national guidelines. This includes determining whether specific technologies, such as flash glucose monitoring, form part of their service and if it is suitable for individual patients to support the ongoing management of their condition.
The Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee North has issued advice on the use of Freestyle Libre to support the CCGs in doing this, suggesting a careful start to its use and data collection to better understand the benefits for patients. The guidance Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee (RMOC) Flash Glucose Monitoring Systems Position Statement is attached.