Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase access to (a) diabetes technologies, (b) insulin pumps and (c) glucose sensors for (i) all diabetes patients and (ii) diabetes patients from deprived backgrounds.

In December 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published the technology appraisal guidance, Hybrid closed loop systems for managing blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetes, which recommended hybrid closed loop as an option for managing blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetes in children and young people, and specific groups of adults. Hybrid closed loop combines a continuous glucose monitor, an insulin pump, and a computer program to automatically adjust the insulin delivery for people with type 1 diabetes. NHS England also published a five-year Hybrid Closed Loop Implementation Strategy. The rollout of the strategy commenced in April 2024. Further information on the NICE’s technology appraisal guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/TA943

Reducing inequity in access to continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps across the most deprived quintiles and across different ethnic groups is a key objective in NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 health inequalities strategy. DigiBete, a nationally commissioned digital self-management resource for children and young people aged zero to 25 years old, includes information and videos on the latest technology available, with information provided in ten of the most commonly spoken languages. Further information on DigiBete is available at the following link:

https://www.digibete.org/type-1-technology-resources/

Data from the National Diabetes Audit suggests that the number of people with type 2 diabetes using continuous glucose monitoring is increasing. In 2022/23, 37,000 people were using a continuous glucose monitor, rising to 95,000 people in 2023/24, and 155,000 people in 2024/25. Metrics that are useful for health systems to monitor access to glucose monitoring will be published later this year.