MSP backs campaign to end health‘postcode lottery’
Scottish Labour MSP Paul O’Kane is calling on the Scottish Government to end the“postcode lottery”of access to life-changing diabetes technology after supporting Diabetes Scotland’s ‘Tech Can’t Wait’campaign.
The campaign calls for continued funding for NHS health boards to ensure that people with diabetes can access diabetes health technology – including flash, continuous glucose monitoring, insulin pumps, and hybrid closed loop, commonly known as an ‘artificial pancreas’– regardless of where they live.
As part of the mission to raise awareness of inequality of access, Diabetes Scotland has launched a new webpage which includes a postcode tool that shows the usage of diabetes tech in specific areas.
In 2022, the Scottish Government provided £14.6million of funding to increase access to hybrid closed loop technologies across Scotland.
This week, Mr O’Kane published a parliamentary motion to recognise the work of Diabetes Scotland and their campaign.
The West Scotland MSP said: “Diabetes Scotland are addressing something that is paramount to our health service and that is equal access to healthcare and health technology.
“Current figures show that for people living with diabetes, access to vital technology isn’t equal and very much depends on where you live – that’s a postcode lottery and that’s unacceptable.
“From a public health point of view, the country’s awareness of diabetes and the needs of people living with diabetes needs to increase but that has to increase simultaneously with funding from the Scottish Government.”
Angela Mitchell, national director of
Diabetes Scotland, said:“Diabetes tech can be life-changing for people living with diabetes relying on multiple daily insulin injections. But far too many people in Scotland are missing out – unable to access the tech they need to help them live well with diabetes.
“We know access to technology can often depend on where you live and whether you can afford to self-fund. “This isn’t fair.
“We’re calling on decision-makers to go further, faster, so access to tech is based on your need, not your postcode.
“Diabetes tech can’t wait.”