The Scottish Herald reports: “A TREATMENT that can transform the lives of patients with diabetes [i.e. pumps –Neville] has been put on hold by Scotland’s largest health board amid the drive for spending cuts, according to consultants and patients. Insiders say NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has suspended its adult waiting list for insulin pumps – devices which reduce the need for frequent injections and allow people with severe forms of the condition to lead a more normal life.
This dog notes that diabetes care in the west of Scotland was diabolical and has now sunk to the levels of truly bloody dreadful. Nice one NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde! The sooner the decision makers in this abysmal PCT are nailed into a barrel with a couple of angry jackals and rolled down a bloody steep hill, the better.
Source: http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/health/life-changing-diabetes-aid-target-of-cuts-1.1090635
Oh that’s intelligent, nothing like a short term view of a long term condition. I suppose if I worked there and was a bit dim, I might think it would be clever to bank on making short term decisions and then running away to a new job before the extra costs of providing extra kidney dialysis and amputations as a result of poor care kicked in.
Sadly in the real world (ie outside of PCTs) diabetes is for life, not just the length of your current job.
‘zactly! I’m going to start a donation fund to pay for much needed barrels & jackals. Who’s up for chipping in a fiver?
I was going to suggest King Charles Spaniels instead of jackals. But, to be honest, I don’t really fancy being nailed in a barrel with a sweaty administrator. Eugh!
Also King Charles Spaniels aren’t really *that* fierce.
I loved the last quote from GGC
“We do not run a waiting list for insulin pump therapy as the patients eligible for pumps are already in treatment for their diabetes.”
I am eligible but might have to wait currently 17 years for a pump because of other people in the queue in front of me.
I am seriously considering moving east at least I should have a pump there within the next 2 years!
It *is* the most pathetic reason for not having a waiting list isn’t it?
Good job they didn’t say that when insulin was invented “Oh no, we don’t need that new fangled insulin stuff, we’re already treating these diabetics with a diet of cabbage, why would they need anything more?”
It wasn’t the best of articles, but we are hoping for a follow up. Something to mull over… Jacqueline can’t get a pump in Glasgow. She is only 33 years old and has 2 young daughters, a pump could make quite a difference to her life. However, Glasgow have referred her to Edinburgh for an Islet transplant!! A pump and consumable costs a couple of thousand a year, and Islet transplant is £80,000!!! The transplant doc said, so you have tried everything? Jacqueline, em no, not a pump, you can’t get one in Glasgow!
We know a lot of people who are on that waiting list that has now gone!!! All round the world people are suitable for pumps, but not in Glasgow!!!
Anyone waiting for a pump in GGC or anywhere else in Scotland, contact us (iPAG) or push your case, now is a good time to do it!
I unfortunately live in the Clyde part of the GGC and been told there might be 1 pump a year available to patients that meet the criteria. When last speaking to my DSN was told that no funding would be available at all this year.
I have even offered to buy the pump but told the NHS would not fund the monthly costs even though the cost will be about the same as what I currently cost them on MDI treatment.
Hi Stuart,
Several of my group (iPAG) are at Clyde for their treatment. Yes they get 1 pump per year to Glasgow’s 5 and this is something we are campaigning about specifically. Seriously, get in touch with your MSP now. Now is the time to start raising this issue. (has to be before the 22nd) but the more people annoying them just now the more chance we have of the HB re-thinking, pm me if you want.
Just to note here that iPAG’s web site can be found here: http://www.iPAGScotland.org/ – and Aileen & everyone else at iPAG are the fonts of all knowledge when it comes to pumps and recalcitrant health boards. If anyone has problems with pumps in Scotland then I’d urge you to get in touch with them.
The English equivalent of iPAG is INPUT and, again, if you have any pumping problems south of the border Lesley at INPUT (http://www.input.me.uk) is one of the people to speak to.
Interesting to see the islet cell stuff is still getting priority above the general day to day care in Scotland – it seems my cynical rant on the subject over a year ago still applies, how sad – http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2009/12/without-wishing-to-be-cynical/
Very true Alison, just re-read your (islet) rant again, and you were very right and still are, I think! Terrible state of affairs. I did manage to tell Shona Robison about Jacqueline so she is aware that Scotland will pay £80,000 although I am sure she doesn’t realise that that £80,000 could at best only give Jacqueline a couple of years of a possible improvement in her quality of life, a couple of thousand a year may well have been enough!!!
@enkki we might have a story coming up in the Paisley Daily Express or Barrhead News soon, would you be interested in talking to them or another paper? The journalist at the Herald would also be interested to hear about the waiting list and has had angry people contact her already about GGC’s statement!
OK, absolute novice time again – does the way Scottish NHS allocate funding have anything to do with this ie. free prescriptions for all, free parking etc? Is it a case of the medically disadvantaged paying for headline grabbing benefits for all?
I hope the answer is simpler ignorance that can be overcome easily.
@seasiderdave In simple terms, there is only so much money to go round, so if you choose to give everyone free prescriptions that does leave less in the pot for other stuff like pumps. It’s also about priorities though, some PCT’s see diabetes/pumps etc as a high priority and therefore allocate funding to them, others don’t. That’s why campaigning is so important, he who shouts the loudest and all that.
Lothian manage to find the money to put 30 adults a year on pumps. Lothian Health Board is almost half the size of Glasgow in terms of people with T1, yet Glasgow and Clyde have been putting 6 adults a year on pumps! Sounds like how they decide to spend their money as well as what Alison says… free prescriptions means less money in the NHS pot to start with.
Joel (iPAG) got a letter published in the Herald today
http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/herald-letters/a-cruel-and-short-sighted-decision-on-treating-diabetes-1.1091123?38300
Greater Glasgow and Clyde should hang its head in shame. 17 years wait? That is crazy! We need to educate health board members – most of whom don’t even know what Type 1 is let alone how it affects people. Today’s Herald letters told us about a patient who is threatened with death unless she gets a pump but they won’t refer her. I though the docs took a Hippocratic oath or something which required them to do the best for their patients?