A nine-year-old Perthshire girl with type 1 diabetes will now receive an insulin pump on the NHS after initial funding hurdles, highlighting disparities in access driven by local funding decisions despite national guidelines supporting technological treatment options for children.
A Perthshire mother has welcomed confirmation that her nine-year-old daughter will now be able to get an insulin pump on the NHS after being told at first that none were available. The case has drawn attention to how access to diabetes technology can depend on local funding decisions, even as national guidance says hybrid closed-loop systems can be appropriate for children with type 1 diabetes.
Cora Marshall was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes last month on her first day of primary six, after her mother, Nicola Marshall, noticed she was unusually thirsty and needing the toilet more often. Marshall said the family is still adjusting to the condition, but that her daughter has handled it with unusual composure. Cora now uses a continuous glucose monitor, which sends readings to an app, and her family had hoped to move her on to a hybrid closed-loop system that can automatically adjust insulin delivery.
That type of technology is designed to reduce the burden of repeated injections and give people more flexibility in day-to-day life. Diabetes UK says insulin pumps may be offered on the NHS to people with type 1 diabetes who meet specific clinical criteria, while NHS information in Scotland explains that access depends on referral pathways and local eligibility decisions. In Cora’s case, her mother said the pump would give her more independence, particularly around meals, snacks and activities such as going to the beach.
NHS Tayside initially said that, because of funding discussions, it was not offering pumps to new patients. But after challenges from Marshall, Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser and The Courier, the health board said local funding had been found for Cora and other priority patients. NHS Tayside said it is continuing to provide hybrid closed-loop systems to new patients with the greatest clinical need, prioritising children and pregnant women, and that its paediatric diabetes service will keep supporting children waiting for access.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
