10
LIVING
Updated NICE guidelines April 2022
THE NICEST NEWS
At the very end of March 2022 updated NICE
guidelines on access to diabetes technology were
published. The changes are quite astonishing but are
nothing less than what they should be.
By Sue Marshall.
As I said in the editorial
of the last issue of the
magazine, when I set the
magazine up, the point
was to share information and talk
about diabetes 'kit'. Back then (about
a decade ago), few people wore, or
had even heard about insulin pumps
and everyone was blood testing, with
all the rigmarole that entailed. Now,
it's great to be reporting that we are
all well on the way to a better future
with smaller, cleverer devices that
can help ease the burden while also
giving insights to help with making
some of the endless decisions that
need to be made when living with the
condition.
No longer will people will not have
to 'build their business case' for going
on diabetes technology, they will be
offered it directly if they have T1D.
Many may stick to the knitting and
stay with whatever they currently
use, others who may have been told
'no' to going on a pump or sensor
in the past, should get a different
answer when they ask again.
It will take a while for these
guidelines to filter through the
healthcare system, but certainly
talk to your HCP at your next
appointment about what tech you
might want to access.
There is a lot to be said about
what you yourself bring to the
party - diabetes is a strict teacher,
and much of our control is based
on lessons learned on our life's
journey. Our interaction with food
and exercise is more complex than
those not living with the condition,
and we have to be organised ¬- oh
so organised! All of this will hold
us in good stead when taking up
diabetes tech.
There are some sticking points
with diabetes tech as it develops,
particularly the fact that some
manufacturers systems are 'lock
ins' that do not 'talk' to other
devices. However, that is now being
addressed, a bitter pill to swallow for
the more old-fashioned businesses
that set out to have end-to-end
solutions where only their equipment
could be used with their own
other equipment. The movement
#wearenotwaiting also started in
the US by parents of children with
diabetes who were themselves
software engineers and who knew
they could make better solutions
than were currently available, and far
faster than waiting for big industry
to get around to it with their much
Fitting the final piece into place - universal access to a choice of sensors for
all those with Type 1 diabetes.