Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by the Earl of Courtown on 9 October (HL Deb, cols 9–11), how they are encouraging Clinical Commissioning Groups, including Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group, to make available free flash glucose monitoring devices.

In January 2018, NHS England issued guidance in the form of a letter, dated 30 January 2018, 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 letter is attached.

The South East London Area Prescribing Committee, of which NHS Southwark CCG is a member, has published an updated interim position statement relating to FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring, which is attached. Mechanisms are currently being put in place to support delivery of a local implementation plan. It is not possible to place an exact date for completion of the local implementation plan. However, it is anticipated that eligible patients will be able to access FreeStyle Libre on the National Health Service in south east London in autumn 2018.