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In a major victory for the Daily Express, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has guaranteed that everyone who qualifies for a “flash glucose monitor” will get one for the first time. Experts
estimate 500,000 Britons could bene t from a small sensor which provides continuous measurements. The device – a FreeStyle Libre – is used by Prime Minister Theresa May, 62, who suffers
from Type 1 diabetes. She was seen wearing a monitoring patch on her left arm at Blenheim Palace last year during the visit of US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania. Until now
scores of clinical commissioning groups have refused to fund the system mainly for Type 1 diabetics because it is not seen as a priority. But as Mr Hancock is pushing forward a technology
revolution to transform the NHS, he said: “I love the NHS. “I’m proud that from today tens of thousands of patients with diabetes will see the benefits of this government’s record funding
increase to the NHS budget. “Living with Type 1 can be really tough. I want to do every- thing I can to make life easier. “So we’re rolling out new technology to help patients monitor
their condition, saving stressful and unnecessary trips to hospital and GP services.” The device – available to the NHS for less than £1,000 a year each – can free sufferers from the need
of frequent finger-prick testing, making it easier to keep track of blood sugar. Levels are read by scanning a handheld sensor over the patch and experts say it produces a more accurate
reading. Figures obtained by the Daily Express showed fewer than 10,000 sufferers had been pre- scribed the equipment since health bosses approved its use. This newspaper also revealed
there was a “postcode lottery” of the availability of the device. Patients will be able to find out if they are eligible from their diabetes nurses or GPs. Dr Partha Kar, NHS England
associate clinical director, said: “NHS England is taking this important step for people with Type 1 by funding wider rollout of Freestyle Libre which will end the variation in availability
of this life changing technology.” Nikki Joule of Diabetes UK added: “The long-awaited roll-out of ash glucose monitoring will change the lives of thousands of people living with Type 1.”