A further 660 insulin pumps will be available for people with type 1 diabetes in Scotland as part of a £3 million investment announcement by the Scottish Government.
The funding will be used to purchase the small medical devices that attach to a person’s body and administer the correct amount of insulin needed, removing the need for insulin injections and making the condition easier to manage.
A dedicated insulin pump support team will also support NHS staff around the country to widen access to the pumps.
The moves come as the Scottish Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensure that 25 per cent of under-18s with type 1 diabetes have access to the pumps, as health boards continue to make the progress the Government wants to see in this area.
In making the announcement Falkirk West MSP and Minister for Public Health Michael Matheson said:
“The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring people with diabetes get the best possible care.
“It is very encouraging that some boards have already met our ambitious commitment, to ensure that 25 per cent of children and teens with type 1 diabetes now have access to a pump.
“Since 2009, we have more than doubled the total number of people on insulin pumps and the number of people starting insulin pump therapy each year. All boards have worked to develop their pump services capacity and staff skills and this good practice will be shared to ensure diabetes services as whole continue to improve in future.
“While we welcome the progress made, I am disappointed that not all boards have yet met the commitment and I remain determined that they continue to work towards this rightly ambitious goal.
“That is why we are providing this additional investment, to support boards to deliver their actions plans to achieve this commitment safely and ensure insulin pumps are available right across Scotland.”
