More blood glucose monitoring devices made available to Shropshire patients on prescription, health bosses say

Patients in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin with Type 1 diabetes – and some with Type 2 diabetes – will now be able to manage their condition more effectively with a Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) device.

It comes after a recent report from Diabetes UK revealed that Shropshire has the worst care for diabetes patients in the country.

Findings revealed that in 2021 and 2022, only 25 per cent of diabetes patients in the county received all of their care processes, compared to an average of 47 per cent in England.

With access to more devices via prescription, health bosses hope the technology will not only improve the quality of life for more patients but also help to reduce hospital visits and complications associated with diabetes.

Dr Syed Gillani, clinical lead for diabetes at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said: “Pieces of wearable technology like this can have a transformative effect for people living with diabetes, improving their quality of life and diabetes outcomes.

“We know that getting access to continuous glucose monitors can be difficult, even when people meet the eligibility criteria, so having more of them available on prescription is a big step forward towards greater choice and easier access.

“I would encourage eligible patients with diabetes across the county to talk about the CGM device at their next annual review and to understand how it might be able to help them manage their condition.”

Those with certain conditions or disabilities that make it hard to self-monitor blood glucose levels will also benefit from the use of these devices.

The report by Diabetes UK stated that the impact of the pandemic continues to be felt across the NHS, with services struggling to cope with the backlog alongside unprecedented demand and workforce shortages.

The charity also said it was concerned that fragmented access to routine care would have other major implications for people living with diabetes and for the NHS, with patients being at increased risk of hospitalisation due to complications.

To read the full report, visit diabetes.org.uk.

For more information on the blood glucose monitoring devices and eligibility criteria, visit diabetes.org.uk.