Sue Webber MSP Calls for Fair and Equal Access to Diabetes Technology across Scotland
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Scottish Conservative MSP Sue Webber recently attended Diabetes
Scotland’s World Diabetes Day Parliamentary Reception for the
launch of their Diabetes Tech Can’t Report, accessible here. In
this report, Diabetes Scotland outlines recommendations for the
Scottish Government and NHS on how to achieve fair and equal access
to diabetes tech across Scotland. Aligned with a vision to enhance
the lives of individuals managing diabetes, the report urges the
Scottish Government...Request free
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Scottish Conservative MSP Sue Webber recently attended Diabetes Scotland’s World Diabetes Day Parliamentary Reception for the launch of their Diabetes Tech Can’t Report, accessible here. In this report, Diabetes Scotland outlines recommendations for the Scottish Government and NHS on how to achieve fair and equal access to diabetes tech across Scotland. Aligned with a vision to enhance the lives of individuals managing diabetes, the report urges the Scottish Government to adopt ambitious targets and to go further and faster in the rollout of diabetes tech. Notably, Sue Webber MSP supports the recommendation of achieving 100% of children and 70% of adults living with type 1 diabetes to be using hybrid closed loop technology by the year 2030. This objective underscores a commitment to harnessing innovative technology to improve the quality of life for those grappling with this chronic condition. Expressing a desire for fair and equal access to diabetes technology, Sue Webber MSP stresses the importance of ensuring that every person with diabetes can access the most suitable technology to effectively manage their condition and enhance their overall well-being. To realize this vision, Sue Webber MSP calls upon the Scottish Government to allocate additional funding, enabling the NHS to accelerate the rollout of diabetes technology. This financial commitment is crucial to going further and faster rollout of diabetes tech that can make a significant impact on the lives of individuals managing diabetes. Following the launch of Diabetes Scotland’s report and its year-long campaign, Sue Webber MSP is calling on the Scottish Government to provide clarity on its plans to allocate additional funding to diabetes technology in the upcoming Scottish Budget scheduled for December. This call on the Scottish Government reflects a commitment from Sue Webber MSP to ensuring that the budgetary allocation aligns with the urgent needs outlined in the report and supports the overall vision for fair and equal access to diabetes tech across Scotland. Scottish Conservative MSP Sue Webber said: “It was an honour to attend Diabetes Scotland’s World Diabetes Day Parliamentary Reception and the launch of the Diabetes Tech Can’t Wait report. “I strongly endorse the recommendations outlined in this report and call on the Scottish Government to commit to achieving them. Specifically, I support the goal of achieving 100% of children and 70% of adults living with type 1 diabetes to be using hybrid closed loop technology by the year 2030. “However, the Scottish Government needs to allocate additional funding in the December Scottish Budget to go further and faster in the rollout of diabetes so we can see fair and equal access to diabetes tech across Scotland, so that no one has to fight for it.” Ends. Notes to editors Table 1 – Percentages of people living with type 1 diabetes in Scotland using insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors, of all ages and broken down by ages 0-17 and 18+ and by Health Board.
*Data on the percentages of people using insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors are correct as of March 2023 and were taken from the Scottish Care Information – Diabetes Collaboration (SCI-DC) database with the permission of each Health Board. Data from previous years, including for NHS Western Isles, is available from the Scottish Diabetes Survey at: www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/publications/ **Diabetes technology includes any technology that helps people with diabetes to take insulin or monitor their blood sugar levels. The main types of wearable technology are: insulin pumps, which release insulin into the body through a tube, avoiding the need for multiple daily injections; continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and flash glucose monitors, which measure your blood sugar levels through a sensor so you do not have to do painful finger prick tests; hybrid closed loop systems, which connect an insulin pump with a CGM, enabling the pump to adjust your insulin dose automatically in many cases. ***At the end of 2022 there were 339,018 people with a diagnosis of any type of diabetes in Scotland recorded in SCI-Diabetes, reflecting a crude prevalence of 6.2% of the population of all ages. This includes numbers (proportions of the total number of people with diabetes) 35,619 (10.5%) for type 1 diabetes, 297,504 (87.8%) for type 2 diabetes and 5,895 (1.7%) with other forms of diabetes. Source: Scottish Diabetes Survey 2022 **** Four out of five people using tech said it improved their wellbeing in 2022. Source: Diabetes UK, Diabetes is Serious Survey, 2023. Scotland. Diabetes is Serious – Scotland | Diabetes UK ***** People living in better-off areas of Scotland are 14.5% more likely to use wearable diabetes tech and 18.1% more likely to have been offered diabetes education, which is often required before you can start using technology. Source: Diabetes UK, Diabetes is Serious Survey, 2023. Scotland. Diabetes is Serious – Scotland | Diabetes UK |
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