Wales Diabetes Network statement on Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Originally published Monday 28th Nov 2016
The Children and Young People’s Wales Diabetes Network (& Brecon Group) has issued a statement on the availability and use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in NHS Wales. The statement is informing health boards of the current NICE guidance on CGM and requesting that clinical staff are able to use CGM in accordance with the guidance.
“We are concerned that there is variability in the use of and ordering mechanisms for CGM in the health boards our members work in,” says Dr Chris Bidder, Chair of the Children and Young People’s Wales Diabetes Network.
“In some health boards clinical teams are able to access this technology quite easily and use it in the situations outlined by NICE. But in some health boards there are lengthy processes to follow and several obstacles that prevent staff from offering CGM to children and young people who meet NICE criteria for its use. Some teams have to prepare a business case for every child who will use CGM – we are asking health boards to consider the NICE guidance as the business case for using CGM and make it simpler for staff to order this equipment where it is necessary.”
“We would like to see all paediatric diabetes teams in Wales offering the same high standard of service to children and young people with diabetes. Ensuring equal access to CGM in all parts of Wales is one way we can ensure children and young people are receiving the level of care that is recommended by NICE.”
The Statement has been sent to the chairs of Diabetes Plan Delivery Groups (DPDGs) in NHS Wales health boards. In addition to asking for equality of access across Wales, the Statement asks health boards to consider increasing staffing levels to maximise the use of technology in diabetes management.