From 1 April 2019, BHR CCGs has introduced a prior approval process for Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM), with a standardised referral pathway for children, young people and adults.
CGM allows patients with type 1 diabetes to see their glucose levels 24 hours a day. This data will allow the patient and their clinical care team to optimise a patient’s HbA1c level and reduce the frequency of hypoglycaemic episodes.
Our pathway is in line with NICE guidance and recommendations on best practice and the NICE Quality Standard on Diabetes in Children and Young People.
CGM monitoring should not be routinely offered to all Type 1 diabetes patients. We will be following the South East Coast criteria for eligibility which has been accepted across London. You can download this from the London Diabetes Clinical Network website.
GPs in Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge can refer patients through the new pathway, who meet the eligibility criteria to Diabetes Specialist Services. The clinical care team (at BHRUT, Barts Health or, in some cases, Homerton Hospital) will consider the patient’s case and, if CGM is recommended, make a prior approval request on behalf of the patient. This will be done via the Bluteq system.
The decision on pump type is one that is based entirely on the clinical need of the patient, and the decision will be made jointly by the consultant and the patient or their parents or carers.
If you have any questions about this process, please speak first to your Practice Improvement Lead (PIL). For more information, you can also contact Solma Khatoon in the Planned Care team at BHR CCGs by email (solma.khatoon@nhs.net).
740