Pump funding update

[trophywench]

long-acting ???.......there is no long acting insulin with a pump.

Which is precisely what I said, Phil 'because there isn't any long acting, you can turn your basal completely off' (and the caveat I didn't add was, 'but of course, fast acting still hangs round to some degree', but on the basis we all knew that already, I didn't say it LOL)

 

[Phil65]

Which is precisely what I said, Phil 'because there isn't any long acting, you can turn your basal completely off' (and the caveat I didn't add was, 'but of course, fast acting still hangs round to some degree', but on the basis we all knew that already, I didn't say it LOL)

......I thought that was what you meant to say! 😉 I just didn't want non-pumpers getting confused. 🙂

 

[sofaraway]

Looks good to me. Your team brought up the option of a pump to you, they wouldn't have done that if they didn't think you meet the criteria.

Hope you can get more clarification from your DSN at your appointment. And ask about how the process works and timeframes. Ask if they have any waiting list, do they do group or individual starts.

 

[Monica]

As an aside...I also don't understand why the whole 'hypo' thing is solved with a pump??

Carol had a problem with Hypos - she didn't always realise she had them unless caught by her "normal" test. Also, they were usually in the mid to high 2s when she did.
Now - she recognises her hypos at a much higher number, if she has any at all.
Also, like trophy said, if you test and you're say 4.4 and you know you still have insulin in you, you can reduce the basal for a while. I had to do that last night, at midnight Caz still had .85u on board, so I reduced her basal by 30% for 2 hours and she was 4.5 this morning. Had I not been able to do that, I'd have had to wake her to have something to eat or let her go hypo and then wake her up to treat it.

 

[imtrying]

Looks good to me. Your team brought up the option of a pump to you, they wouldn't have done that if they didn't think you meet the criteria.

Hope you can get more clarification from your DSN at your appointment. And ask about how the process works and timeframes. Ask if they have any waiting list, do they do group or individual starts.

Thanks Nikki. They were good, and my dr seems to be onside which is great. Her response when I mentioned it was just 'oh good, well I hope they just sign it straight off'!

I'm probably looking at 3 or 4 months at least before getting anything. They did also give me the head up of another pump that's being promoted/tested by users at the moment, which is tiny in comparison to existing pumps, and said that was due to come out end of April/May time.

 

[imtrying]

Carol had a problem with Hypos - she didn't always realise she had them unless caught by her "normal" test. Also, they were usually in the mid to high 2s when she did.
Now - she recognises her hypos at a much higher number, if she has any at all.
Also, like trophy said, if you test and you're say 4.4 and you know you still have insulin in you, you can reduce the basal for a while. I had to do that last night, at midnight Caz still had .85u on board, so I reduced her basal by 30% for 2 hours and she was 4.5 this morning. Had I not been able to do that, I'd have had to wake her to have something to eat or let her go hypo and then wake her up to treat it.

Thanks Monica...when you put it like that it makes total sense!! 🙂

 

[sofaraway]

They did also give me the head up of another pump that's being promoted/tested by users at the moment, which is tiny in comparison to existing pumps, and said that was due to come out end of April/May time.

That might be the cell novo pump- saw it last week and does look awesome. It's more expensive than the others apparently so I don't know if some PCT's will want to fund it.

But whichever pump you get it will help solve the problems you are having.
Like you I had awful problems with exercise for years. And although not 100% solved with the pump- yet! They are much much better. The rise during exercise is hard to combat.

 

[imtrying]

New update

Ok, latest update.

I got an email update from my pump DSN yesterday which said -

"I am having problems with sorting out funding for pump- spoke to Gp she says not her job to get funding- I need to work out who to speak to at the PCt but i am afraid this may not be a quick job. I will try my hardest but don't expect things to happen too quickly."

So it's not bad news as such, as I haven't been declined...just need to find out who is actually going to approve the funding, as obviously without that, I can't get one

P.S She's only speaking about it taking a while as she's knows I'm impatient lol She's just trying to manage my expectations.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Have you spoken to INPUT Katie? They should be able to let you know the procedure etc.

As far as I know, your consultant needs to contact the PCT to say you need one, the PCT are then obliged to fund it.

 

[novorapidboi26]

Dies it have to be a consultant or someone on that level?

I thought I read it could be an HCP, so this would include the specialist nurses..........!

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I need to work out who to speak to at the PCt but i am afraid this may not be a quick job. I will try my hardest but don't expect things to happen too quickly."

If your funding has been applied for then the person you need to speak to is the Senior commissioning Manager.
From date of appliaction you should have the very latest 3 month later have a pump in your hands.
So ring up your PCT and ask to speak to the commissioning manager and ask if funding has been applied for. If it hasn't then go back to your DSN and say it can not be approved until funding has been requested. So why are you being mislead (lied to).
I suspect as it's nr to a new financial year you are getting the run around but make noises.

Now what is know as the Snr commissioning manager may be called something else in your PCT so ask to be put through to the right person. If still given the run around contact PALS or write to the Cheif Exc.

 

[imtrying]

Have you spoken to INPUT Katie? They should be able to let you know the procedure etc.

As far as I know, your consultant needs to contact the PCT to say you need one, the PCT are then obliged to fund it.

Hi Mike, I've not spoken to INPUT.

I think from what she's said that she's spoken t my GP to look for approval, but been told it's not her, so now the DSN needs to find who to speak to at Havering PCT which sounds like may take a bit of time....

that's what I took from it anyway!

 

[imtrying]

Dies it have to be a consultant or someone on that level?

I thought I read it could be an HCP, so this would include the specialist nurses..........!

my recommendation letter will come from my Consultant, but the pumping DSN is dealing with the paperwork and logistics before the letter gets sent.

 

[imtrying]

If your funding has been applied for then the person you need to speak to is the Senior commissioning Manager.
From date of appliaction you should have the very latest 3 month later have a pump in your hands.
So ring up your PCT and ask to speak to the commissioning manager and ask if funding has been applied for. If it hasn't then go back to your DSN and say it can not be approved until funding has been requested. So why are you being mislead (lied to).
I suspect as it's nr to a new financial year you are getting the run around but make noises.

Now what is know as the Snr commissioning manager may be called something else in your PCT so ask to be put through to the right person. If still given the run around contact PALS or write to the Cheif Exc.

Hi Sue. We haven't got to that stage....my funding application has not been applied for yet - this is about who the funding application needs to go to.

This is more complicated as my GP (and therefore funding PCT) are different to the PCT area my diabetes team falls under, so it is a bit more painful as it's across different PCTs!!

I suspect she just won't get any answers very quickly...plus she doesn't work full time so she doesn't have as much time to chase.

I was thinking of maybe trying calling my actual local diabetes centre, and asking them who funding applications get sent to from there, as I would guess it would be the same place my pumping DSN would have to send the application to...but I don't want to seem like I'm interfering....

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Hi Mike, I've not spoken to INPUT.

I think from what she's said that she's spoken t my GP to look for approval, but been told it's not her, so now the DSN needs to find who to speak to at Havering PCT which sounds like may take a bit of time....

that's what I took from it anyway!

Surely she has ordered pumps before?
It's normally the consultant that signs the forms.

Unless anyone else has managed it the last I heard I am the only one in the country to have funding via a GP. But yes a GP can ask for funding. 🙂

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Hi Sue. We haven't got to that stage....my funding application has not been applied for yet - this is about who the funding application needs to go to.

This is more complicated as my GP (and therefore funding PCT) are different to the PCT area my diabetes team falls under, so it is a bit more painful as it's across different PCTs!!

I suspect she just won't get any answers very quickly...plus she doesn't work full time so she doesn't have as much time to chase.

I was thinking of maybe trying calling my actual local diabetes centre, and asking them who funding applications get sent to from there, as I would guess it would be the same place my pumping DSN would have to send the application to...but I don't want to seem like I'm interfering....

It's simple Katie,
who ever it is who is paying for your consultation with the pump consultant and diabetes clinic is the one footing the bill.
I live on the border between 2 counties so can go to hospitals in which ever county offers the services I require. The bill gets sent to PCT that your GP is in.

 

[imtrying]

Surely she has ordered pumps before?
It's normally the consultant that signs the forms.

Unless anyone else has managed it the last I heard I am the only one in the country to have funding via a GP. But yes a GP can ask for funding. 🙂

yeah but they've been within her own PCT, which I imagine is a more straight forward process!

My GP seemed all for me having one, but I suspect that she doesn't particularly get involved, or just happy to leave it to someone else to do.

 

[imtrying]

It's simple Katie,
who ever it is who is paying for your consultation with the pump consultant and diabetes clinic is the one footing the bill.
I live on the border between 2 counties so can go to hospitals in which ever county offers the services I require. The bill gets sent to PCT that your GP is in.

Yep, it will be my GP's PCT that needs to fund it.

I just got the impression my DSN was just trying to find a name of someone to talk to before sending my application into the abyss for it never to be seen again! She wants to make sure I get approved.

Unfortunately it might be easier if I lived on the border lol but I don't. I moved and didn't want to change my diabetes team as i really rate them and didn't want to risk ending up with a bad team.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Yep, it will be my GP's PCT that needs to fund it.

I just got the impression my DSN was just trying to find a name of someone to talk to before sending my application into the abyss for it never to be seen again! She wants to make sure I get approved.

Unfortunately it might be easier if I lived on the border lol but I don't. I moved and didn't want to change my diabetes team as i really rate them and didn't want to risk ending up with a bad team.

Have a look on your GP's PCT's website and then stick in the search commissioning manager.
Or google CM xx PCT.
The gp's practice secatary will have the info anyway just ring and ask to speak to her. Or again if close by just go in and ask to speak to the practice secatary.

 

[sofaraway]

I just got the impression my DSN was just trying to find a name of someone to talk to before sending my application into the abyss for it never to be seen again! She wants to make sure I get approved.

This sounds a very reasonable explanation. It will differ between PCT's who is responsible for approving the pump funding. As Sue has said it's the commissioning manager in her PCT. In my PCT it's the medicines management team. So you DSN wouldn't want to send to the wrong people (confidentiality issues if nothing else). The best bet would be for her to ask whoever in the Havering diabetes team orders their pumps and ask them who the application gets sent to.

I think it's really good that your DSN is keeping you updated with where things are in the process.