Our second petition is PE1619 by Stuart Knox, which calls for continuous glucose monitoring sensors to be made available on the NHS to all patients with type 1 diabetes. Mr Knox was invited to provide oral evidence today but is unable to attend. Members should have a copy of the petition and a Scottish Parliament information centre briefing. Do members have any comments or suggestions?
Official Report · Committee
New Petitions
Diabetes (Continuous Glucose Monitoring Sensors) (PE1619)
Speakers
Choose an MSP to read only their contributions- Johann Lamont Lab 6
- Brian Whittle Con 4
- Rona Mackay SNP 1
The record
11 contributionsI sit on the cross-party group on diabetes and the issue is discussed frequently. The specific issue is the worry about what happens when people—particularly young children—are asleep and there is a depletion of sugar levels to the point at which the person may lose their life. There is a lot of evidence around continued monitoring and there is a lot of innovation out there. However, availability of continuous glucose monitoring on the NHS seems to be piecemeal. There is a strong call for CGM by the cross-party group on diabetes. It is logical that if such innovation is available to some people—there is compelling evidence that it can save lives—it should be available across the NHS.
Just for clarification, is CGM available to some people on the NHS, but not to all?
Yes.
On what grounds would people be excluded?
The sensor that is mentioned in the petition, the FreeStyle Libre, is very new and has not yet made its way across all the NHS trusts. Evidence suggests that the treatment potentially saves lives and should be available to all.
Are there any other views?
I am just looking at the answer to a written question from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport. She said:
“Work is currently on-going to develop a national approach for the use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices in Scotland, as we recognise the speed of development of this technology.”——Written Answers, 8 November 2016; S5W-03762.
It would be worth our while to write to her to ask how that work is proceeding and whether there is an approximate timescale for a decision.
I suggest that we write to the Scottish Government and to diabetes organisations, specifically Diabetes UK. We can find out whether other diabetes organisations have a view.
We spoke before about how we can engage with petitions, particularly when we have not heard oral evidence. One suggestion was that we go out to speak to some of the organisations. Brian Whittle has an interest in the issue and is on the cross-party group, so he will know more about it than others, but it might be worth the committee’s while to speak to groups about the issues and challenges and about how technology may offer some very positive hope for the future.
The cross-party group on diabetes is extremely well attended. If the committee is looking for people to speak to about the issue, they will all be in the room during a meeting of that group.
Do we agree to contact the Scottish Government and diabetes organisations, and to do a wee bit of work around engaging with the issues that have been flagged up by the petition?
Members indicated agreement.
Motions, questions and votes
Linked from this item of the Official ReportIn this meeting
Everything on 24 Nov 2016 →- 10:00 Interests Procedure · 3
- 10:00 New Petitions Petitions · 59
- 10:30 New Petitions Petitions · 11
- 10:30 New Petitions Petitions · 8
- 10:45 Continued Petitions Petitions · 17
- 10:45 Continued Petitions Petitions · 8
- 11:00 Continued Petitions Petitions · 7
- 11:00 Continued Petitions Petitions · 12
- 11:00 Continued Petitions Petitions · 5
- 11:00 Continued Petitions Petitions · 5
- 11:00 Continued Petitions Petitions · 9
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