More Type 1 diabetes patients in England will receive an artificial pancreas

Thousands of children and eligible adults with type 1 diabetes across England will be able to receive an ‘artificial pancreas’ following cost-effective deals struck by the NHS with technology providers.

Hybrid Closed Loop (HCL) devices constantly monitor glucose levels and automatically adjust the amount of insulin given to them by the pump, meaning some type 1 diabetes patients will no longer need to inject medications.

NHS England is providing £14.1 million to local health systems to make the technology available to patients for the first year, ensuring it is available to as many people as possible.

Professor Partha Kar, Clinical Lead for Timely Type 1 Diabetes Technology at NHSE, said: “This is a significant milestone in the national rollout of HCL systems and fantastic news for many people with Type 1 diabetes.

“NHS trusts can access these devices at cost-effective prices, which will benefit not only more patients but also taxpayers in the form of significant savings for the NHS.

“The device detects glucose levels, transmits the readings to a delivery system called a pump, which then initiates the process of determining the required dose of insulin – improving medical care, but also improving the quality of life for those affected by the disease.”

There are currently around 270,000 people in England living with type 1 diabetes.

Local NHS systems identify eligible people with type 1 diabetes who could benefit from the HCL scheme from April 2024, but new pricing arrangements and additional national funding will see more patients benefit.

NHSE encourages all prescribing trusts to check patients who are eligible for HCL and are already using other diabetes technologies, including continuous glucose monitoring and insulin pumps.

The technology will be rolled out in phases over five years, while specialist clinical staff in adult care settings gain the skills to prescribe the HCL systems.

Colette Marshall, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: “It’s incredibly exciting to be rolling out hybrid closed-loop technology across the NHS in the UK for people with type 1 diabetes.

“Diabetes is a difficult and unrelenting disease, but these systems are making a significant, life-changing difference – improving both the overall health and quality of life of people with diabetes.

“This is a truly transformative moment and we will work with the NHS and others to ensure a fair rollout that reaches people as quickly as possible.”

The National Institute for Healthcare Excellence (NICE) recommends that these devices be made available to children and young people under 19 years of age with type 1 diabetes, pregnant women with type 1 diabetes and adults who would benefit from using this technology to treat high glucose levels .

NICE approved the NHS rollout of the technology in December 2023, following the NHSE pilot in 2022, which saw 835 adults and children with type 1 diabetes receive devices to improve the management of their disease.