Tens of thousands of children and eligible adults living with type 1 diabetes across England are set to receive an ‘artificial pancreas’ thanks to cost-effective deals secured by the NHS with suppliers of the technology.
These groundbreaking devices continually monitor the individual’s glucose levels and then automatically adjust the amount of insulin given to them through a pump.
The NHS is a global leader in rolling out the cutting-edge technology to patients, with industry choosing the UK as a first-choice destination to launch the latest products in this space.
Local NHS systems have been identifying eligible people living with type 1 diabetes who could benefit from the Hybrid Closed Loop (HCL) system – sometimes called an artificial pancreas – since April 2024, but thanks to these new price agreements and additional national funding, more patients are set to benefit this year.
NHS England is providing £14.1m to local health systems to provide the technology to patients for the first year.
There are currently around 270,000 people living in England with type 1 diabetes. NHS England is encouraging all prescribing trusts to review patients that are eligible for HCL and already using other diabetes technology including continuous glucose monitors (CGM) and insulin pumps.
The new cost-effective prices are available to all eligible NHS patients benefitting from this technology, meaning the NHS will make considerable savings.
The technology will mean some people living with type 1 diabetes will no longer need to inject themselves with insulin but rely on technology to receive this life saving medication.
This can also help prevent life-threatening hypoglycaemic and hyperglycaemia attacks, which can lead to seizures, coma or even death for people living with type 1 diabetes.
The mass rollout of the artificial pancreas builds on a successful pilot of the technology by NHS England, which saw 835 adults and children with type 1 diabetes given devices to improve the management of their condition.
The latest figures show that the NHS currently spends around £10.7 billion each year – around 6% of its entire budget – on identifying and treating diabetes.
Dr Clare Hambling, NHS national clinical director for diabetes, said: “The NHS continues to lead the way in care and treatment for people with diabetes and this is just the latest example of those efforts – by ensuring cost-effectiveness of the latest technology, we can roll out these groundbreaking devices to thousands more eligible patients over the next five years.
“The technology behind the Hybrid Closed Loop systems will be completely lifechanging for many people living with type 1 diabetes, promising a better quality of life as well as clinical outcomes.
“Type 1 diabetes is an easily missed diagnosis so if you are concerned about symptoms – the 4Ts – going to the Toilet, passing urine more frequently, with Thirst, feeling Tired and getting Thinner (losing weight), please come forward for support.”
Professor Partha Kar, NHS England GIRFT Type 1 Diabetes Technology Clinical Lead, said: “This is a significant milestone in the national roll out of Hybrid Closed Loop systems, and is fantastic news for many people living with type 1 diabetes.
“NHS trusts can access these devices at cost-effective prices, not only benefiting more patients, but benefiting the taxpayer through significant savings to the NHS.
“The device detects your glucose levels, transmits the readings to the delivery system, known as the pump, which then initiates the process of determining the required insulin dosage – improving medical care but also enhances the quality of life for those affected.”
The National Institute of Health Care and Excellence (NICE) approved the NHS’s roll-out of the technology in December 2023.
Since the NICE announcement, NHS England has published a 5-year implementation strategy, setting out a timeline for how local systems will provide the Hybrid Closed Loop system for eligible patients from 1 April 2024.
NICE recommends the devices should be rolled out to children and young people under 19 with type 1 diabetes, pregnant women with type 1 diabetes, and adults who would benefit from this new technology to help manage high glucose levels.
This will be a phased roll out over five years, as the specialist clinical workforce in adult services build the skills in order to prescribe HCL systems.
The hybrid closed loop system has significantly enhanced the everyday life of Kate Willis, 45, from Portsmouth. Kate was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes aged five after her mum noticed symptoms including her wetting the bed, having a constant thirst and being very lethargic.
Kate said: “My parents were always pretty relaxed around my diabetes and so I have always believed my diabetes lives with me rather than me living with it. I had the usual teenage difficulties and denial of not wanting to take any care of myself. But my attitude changed when it came to wanting children of my own in my early twenties and we struggled to get pregnant. Luckily, I had a very good team and was able to get myself a pump which massively helped.”
Kate then received an artificial pancreas as part of the NHS pilot and says the different the technology has made to her life is “huge”, relieving a lot of stress around managing her diabetes.
“Because I had already had a pump for a long time, I found adjusting reasonably easy. The biggest challenge would be allowing it to do its own thing and not being tempted to interfere. The device itself is simple to apply and set up.
“The difference it has made is huge. Provided I get my morning insulin correct I usually run fairly consistently within range. There is less stress around fear of testing and discovering your blood sugar is high or low. And it’s a lot less mentally draining because the majority of decisions are taken over by the system. Day to day I have more energy and feel generally healthier.
“It is not a magic switch and still takes a bit of work and patience at the beginning especially, but if you get a good balance of ratios and carb counting and put in the early hard work, the rewards really come.
“The technology has certainly enhanced my life – it makes controlling your diabetes relatively effortless and I’m really pleased than many more people will now have access to it.”
