Cornflake57
Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Thank you for your email regarding the Freestyle Libre device. NEW Devon CCG is aware of this technology and that it has been added to the NHS Drug Tariff. The Drug tariff provides a mechanism to determine which drugs and devices will have the cost reimbursed to the pharmacy if they supply against a prescription.
It is up to the individual local NHS commissioning groups to determine if they wish to fund this innovation, taking into account its costs, benefits and other competing priorities for the funds made available to the CCG for the commissioning of health care services.
This inevitably means that difficult decisions need to be made. Unfortunately, some treatments that patients might wish to receive, and that healthcare professionals might wish to offer, cannot be funded or are offered only under certain circumstances. This approach is consistent with other NHS organisations who provide healthcare for their local communities.
We are aware that there is significant interest in this device, which we know will incur extra costs for the health system. As with any new device, it will be evaluated with regard to clinical evidence and cost effectiveness. The CCG has processes through which it takes decisions on the use of funds for new technologies. A decision on this technology will be made in early 2018, and the CCG is in communication with local diabetes specialists about this.
Prior to this decision being made locally, prescribing is not recommended by the CCG. Communication has been sent to GPs and diabetes consultants across Devon clarifying this position.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Tim Burke
Chair, NEW Devon CCG
-----Original Message----
Sent: 10 January 2018 18:54
To: CorporateServices (NHS NORTHERN, EASTERN AND WESTERN DEVON CCG)
Subject: Local prescribing policies for Flash Glucose Monitoring technology
Dear Dr Tim Burke,
I am writing to ask about the status of your local prescribing policies for Flash Glucose Monitoring/FreeStyle Libre technology.
Flash Glucose Monitoring (Flash GM) is a new technology that enables people with diabetes to check their glucose levels without the need to prick their fingers and draw blood. You may be aware that a Flash GM device, the FreeStyle Libre, was included on the drug tariff on 1st November 2017.
Flash GM has a number of benefits:
•It has been shown to better support someone’s self-management of their condition as it provides a greater density of data and the ability to follow trends in glucose levels, which are not available from less frequent blood glucose testing.
•It can enable fine tuning of insulin and so reduces hypoglycaemia and increases time in target range of glucose levels (improved HbA1c).
•People using the device have been shown to test glucose levels more frequently as it is easier, quicker and less painful than routine finger prick glucose monitoring.
•Being able to check glucose levels frequently during the day is key to limiting hypoglycaemia and managing blood glucose.
There are a number of areas in the country who have now agreed policies to provide access – and there are also sources of guidance about this:
•NHS England Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee (North) position statement on the use of Flash (https://www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/u...se-monitoring-System-RMOC-Statement-final.pdf).
•The Type 1 collaborative, a group of clinical specialists working in diabetes(https://abcd.care/getting-freestyle-libre-your-formulary).
•Diabetes UK’s Consensus Guideline for Flash Glucose Monitoring (https://www.diabetes.org.uk/resourc...ash glucose monitoring guideline_SB_V9[4].pdf)
I understand that there are significant budgetary pressures in the NHS. The Freestyle device is cost effective for people with diabetes who are treated with insulin and testing frequently. It has also been firmly established that tight glycaemic control in people with diabetes is associated with a significant reduction in serious and costly long-term diabetes related complications. Therefore focusing spend on areas like Flash GM, which gives people the tools to manage their diabetes more effectively must therefore be an absolute priority.
Please can you let me know:
•If you have agreed a policy
•What the policy is in terms of access and where this can be found publically
•If you have not agreed a policy, when you plan to do so.
I hope that you too see the benefit in Flash GM technology and will ensure that local policies are developed which support access to those people with diabetes who can benefit from using it.
Kind regards,
EX11 1RP
********************************************************************************************************************
This message may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the
sender that you have received the message in error before deleting it.
Please do not disclose, copy or distribute information in this e-mail or take any action in relation to its contents. To do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Thank you for your co-operation.
NHSmail is the secure email and directory service available for all NHS staff in England and Scotland. NHSmail is approved for exchanging patient data and other sensitive information with NHSmail and other accredited email services.
For more information and to find out how you can switch, https://portal.nhs.net/help/joiningnhsmail
It is up to the individual local NHS commissioning groups to determine if they wish to fund this innovation, taking into account its costs, benefits and other competing priorities for the funds made available to the CCG for the commissioning of health care services.
This inevitably means that difficult decisions need to be made. Unfortunately, some treatments that patients might wish to receive, and that healthcare professionals might wish to offer, cannot be funded or are offered only under certain circumstances. This approach is consistent with other NHS organisations who provide healthcare for their local communities.
We are aware that there is significant interest in this device, which we know will incur extra costs for the health system. As with any new device, it will be evaluated with regard to clinical evidence and cost effectiveness. The CCG has processes through which it takes decisions on the use of funds for new technologies. A decision on this technology will be made in early 2018, and the CCG is in communication with local diabetes specialists about this.
Prior to this decision being made locally, prescribing is not recommended by the CCG. Communication has been sent to GPs and diabetes consultants across Devon clarifying this position.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Tim Burke
Chair, NEW Devon CCG
-----Original Message----
Sent: 10 January 2018 18:54
To: CorporateServices (NHS NORTHERN, EASTERN AND WESTERN DEVON CCG)
Subject: Local prescribing policies for Flash Glucose Monitoring technology
Dear Dr Tim Burke,
I am writing to ask about the status of your local prescribing policies for Flash Glucose Monitoring/FreeStyle Libre technology.
Flash Glucose Monitoring (Flash GM) is a new technology that enables people with diabetes to check their glucose levels without the need to prick their fingers and draw blood. You may be aware that a Flash GM device, the FreeStyle Libre, was included on the drug tariff on 1st November 2017.
Flash GM has a number of benefits:
•It has been shown to better support someone’s self-management of their condition as it provides a greater density of data and the ability to follow trends in glucose levels, which are not available from less frequent blood glucose testing.
•It can enable fine tuning of insulin and so reduces hypoglycaemia and increases time in target range of glucose levels (improved HbA1c).
•People using the device have been shown to test glucose levels more frequently as it is easier, quicker and less painful than routine finger prick glucose monitoring.
•Being able to check glucose levels frequently during the day is key to limiting hypoglycaemia and managing blood glucose.
There are a number of areas in the country who have now agreed policies to provide access – and there are also sources of guidance about this:
•NHS England Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee (North) position statement on the use of Flash (https://www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/u...se-monitoring-System-RMOC-Statement-final.pdf).
•The Type 1 collaborative, a group of clinical specialists working in diabetes(https://abcd.care/getting-freestyle-libre-your-formulary).
•Diabetes UK’s Consensus Guideline for Flash Glucose Monitoring (https://www.diabetes.org.uk/resourc...ash glucose monitoring guideline_SB_V9[4].pdf)
I understand that there are significant budgetary pressures in the NHS. The Freestyle device is cost effective for people with diabetes who are treated with insulin and testing frequently. It has also been firmly established that tight glycaemic control in people with diabetes is associated with a significant reduction in serious and costly long-term diabetes related complications. Therefore focusing spend on areas like Flash GM, which gives people the tools to manage their diabetes more effectively must therefore be an absolute priority.
Please can you let me know:
•If you have agreed a policy
•What the policy is in terms of access and where this can be found publically
•If you have not agreed a policy, when you plan to do so.
I hope that you too see the benefit in Flash GM technology and will ensure that local policies are developed which support access to those people with diabetes who can benefit from using it.
Kind regards,
EX11 1RP
********************************************************************************************************************
This message may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the
sender that you have received the message in error before deleting it.
Please do not disclose, copy or distribute information in this e-mail or take any action in relation to its contents. To do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Thank you for your co-operation.
NHSmail is the secure email and directory service available for all NHS staff in England and Scotland. NHSmail is approved for exchanging patient data and other sensitive information with NHSmail and other accredited email services.
For more information and to find out how you can switch, https://portal.nhs.net/help/joiningnhsmail
