PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Diabetes: Medical Equipment (26 October 2017)

Freestyle Libre, a flash glucose monitoring system has been approved for reimbursement on National Health Service prescription from 1 November 2017 through listing in Part IX of the NHS England and Wales Drug Tariff.

The NHS Business Services Authority carries out the assessment of Part IX applications made by manufacturers on behalf, of the Secretary of State for Health, for prescribing at NHS expense by an appropriate practitioner.

The listing of a medical device in the Drug Tariff should not be interpreted as a recommendation to prescribe a particular product. Patients will need to discuss the ongoing management of their condition with their healthcare professional and consider whether flash glucose monitoring is suitable for them.

Any device made available for prescribing to patients through listing in Part IX is required to meet set criteria, namely that the product is safe and of good quality, it is appropriate for general practice and, if relevant, non-medical prescribing, and it is cost effective.

Within its financial constraints, the NHS is committed to providing access to new drugs and medical technologies. Ultimately it is for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), who are primarily responsible for commissioning diabetes services, to meet the requirements of their population. In doing so, CCGs need to ensure that the services they provide are fit for purpose, reflect the needs of the local population and are based on the available evidence and take into account national guidelines.