A campaign to get painless monitors for type-1 diabetics on prescription in the island has succeeded.

Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford MHK announced that Freestyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitors will be available for all type-1 diabetics from April 2020.

The news was met with delight by the parent-led campaign Monitors4Kids, which has been calling for the monitors to be made available on the island’s NHS as it is in the UK.

The monitors are placed under the skin and are swiped to get an instant blood sugar reading. They will replace painful finger-prick blood tests having to be made up to 10 times a day.

Since December 2018, this technology has been funded for type-1 diabetic children in the island by Monitors4Kids.

Individuals over the age of 16 who have wanted to access this technology to help manage their condition have had to self-fund, which costs nearly £1,300 a year.

Joanne Wilkinson, Monitors4Kids campaign leader, said: ’What an amazing announcement!

’I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped us on our mission by fundraising and volunteering their personal time to get us to this point.

’On behalf of all type-1 diabetic families I’d also like to say a big thank you to the health service for supporting our cause and I look forward to assisting with the transition from campaign funding to health service prescription.’

Joanne Clague, chairman of Diabetes Isle of Man (formerly the Manx Diabetic Group), said: ’This is tremendous news for people living with type-1 diabetes.

’So much work has gone on behind the scenes to make this possible.

’The flash glucose monitoring technology that individuals and the Monitors4Kids campaign have been funding is already reaping benefits, with improved blood glucose control and a higher quality of life.

’Better health now means less of a burden on the NHS in the long term.

’The charity will continue to work with front line services to help improve the quality of care for all those affected by diabetes in the Isle of Man.’

Monitors4Kids launched in July 2018 and raised donations to help children receive free glucose monitors while campaigning for them to be made available on the NHS.

The information collected by the monitor is then saved, and parents can access it from their mobile phones.

The data includes urgent notifications if their child has a potentially dangerous low blood sugar level.

The monitors have been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).