Children and young people living with type 1 diabetes living in the Highlands aren’t receiving equal access to insulin pumps in Scotland.Young people aged up to 17 years old on insulin pumps in the highlands are 15.1% below the national average( Diabetes UK, March 2023). Earlier this year there were 25 children on the waiting list in comparison to neighbouring health boards with 0. Insulin pumps can transform the daily burden for sufferers and enhance quality of life. The effects on mental health and education can be devastating. As a parent we are even having to consider private funding which would cost between £10-15,000 , not mentioning the impact on daily family life. But we feel our [child], and any others waiting deserve timely and fair access to this life changing treatment in line with the every other Scottish health board. It is not acceptable and postcode discrimination. Diabetes care is meant to be person centred care , but clearly our children are not within NHS Highland. NOTE: Parts of this submission have been edited to be line with our discussion rules - users should avoid making submissions that contain personal information that would identify others without their permission. Thank you.
Evidence and clinical trials highlight the importance of technology in diabetes care and highlights that it helps reduce costly complications within diabetes patients, leading to a more beneficial outcome for both healthcare and patients. Also technology helps reduce the burden of diabetes do you know that diabetes patients need to think about around 180 additional thoughts a day to help manage the condition that’s a lot of brain space and also had a lot of impact on wellbeing and also allows the patient to live a better quality of life and spend more time doing what they want to without adding in the worry of diabetes
We are taught prevention is better than cure. Giving Type 1 children the tool to better control their blood glucose levels will give them a better time in range helping to reduce complications. Being a child/teenager is one of the hardest times to control blood glucose levels as their needs are continuously changing as they grow. Give them the tools to give them a better chance at a normal childhood.
Diabetes tech helps provide a critical safety net to those with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes os a scary, misunderstood and isolating condition that goes hand in hand with anxiety, depression and feelings of burn out. It is crucial to support the most isolated and vulnerable, not just those who live in bigger cities and towns. Diabetes tech is proven to save and dramatically improve lives, not giving people access to it is cruel and unjust.
The use of technology for T1 care, specifically for children and young persons, should be prevalent in all areas of Scotland and not restricted because of location. Improvements to a child's quality of life when accessing this technology now will reduce the impact to health services in future - and also improve their blood glucose, reducing the risk of emergency care now and in future. The piece of mind that it can give to parents and carers is also a factor - removes the anxiety and worry tenfold.
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