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Under consideration PE2031: Provide insulin pumps to all children with type 1 diabetes in Scotland
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to ensure that children and young people in Scotland who have type 1 diabetes, and would benefit from a lifesaving insulin pump, are provided with one, no matter where they live.
Previous action taken
We have raised this issue with our MSP, Edward Mountain, and also met with him personally to discuss this issue of inequality for access to the monitoring devices for diabetic children in Highland areas.
Background information
Scotland has more than 327,000 people with diabetes, of whom 10% have type 1 diabetes. Almost 13,500 people died from diabetes in 2020; this is a major concern. People need assurances that they will have equitable access to monitoring devices to help manage their diabetes and prevent injury or death.
There is currently a postcode lottery with the provision of vital continuous monitoring pumps for children with diabetes. Some Scottish NHS Boards provide the pumps and have no waiting lists for children with type 1 diabetes, while others have only a 2 or 3 month wait.
NHS Highland has waiting lists for children up to 3 years. NHS Highland currently has 25 children waiting for a diabetic insulin pump and only provide funding for 8 pumps a year.
There are currently 167 children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in NHS Highland areas; Caithness itself has an average of 20 children a year diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
This indicates an equity issue for children receiving lifesaving diabetic insulin pumps in the NHS Highland area.
985 signatures
This petition is now under consideration
Click here for further information about the consideration of this petition.