The NHS has secured a new cut price deal which means people with type 1 diabetes are now eligible for continuous glucose monitors.

The monitors are worn on the arm and send information to a mobile app to allow people to keep track of their glucose levels without the need for a scan or a finger prick test.

Normally, continuous glucose monitors are more expensive than flash monitors which record glucose levels by scanning a sensor.

However, the NHS has agreed a cost-effective deal with manufacturers Dexcom to enable the Dexcom ONE rt-CGM monitor to be available for people on prescription at a similar price.

It uses a sensor no bigger than a bottle cap that attaches to the arm for up to 10 days and measures glucose levels from just under the skin.

Users will receive a starter pack – which will include information on the product and usage, a sensor and transmitter – from the hospital or GP surgery once prescribed, after which they can go to the pharmacy for their repeat prescription.

In April, GlucoRx was the first company to roll out free continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) to people with type 1 diabetes on the NHS with 14 days use. The GlucoRx AiDEX CGM has been available on the Drug tariff since April 1, 2022.

The Dexcom deal comes after the NHS surpassed its initial Long Term Plan target to ensure 20 per cent of people with type 1 diabetes were benefiting from flash monitors by March 2021 ahead of schedule – with recent data showing nearly three-fifths are already accessing the technology.

The wider rollout of the technology will help people with diabetes manage their condition better – reducing hospitalisations and associated diabetic illnesses which will ultimately ease pressure off the NHS.

Dr Partha Kar, national speciality advisor for diabetes and obesity said: “This is a huge step forward for type 1 diabetes care and these monitors will be life-changing for anyone with the illness – giving them more choice to manage their condition in the most convenient way possible – as well as the best chance at living healthier lives, reducing their risk of hospitalisation and illnesses associated with diabetes, which in turn reduces pressure on wider NHS services.

“The new deal also delivers on our commitment to get people the latest cutting-edge medical technology at the best value for taxpayer money – saving the NHS millions over the coming years.”

Karen Baxter, Vice President, UK & Ireland, Benelux, France and Spain at Dexcom: “The addition of Dexcom ONE to the NHS England drug tariff is enormous progress towards improving the choice of diabetes tech, providing an alternative to burdensome finger pricks and scanning.

“We are incredibly proud of the diabetes community and are working hard to make it easier for them to access the best technology possible to manage their diabetes.”

She added: “As a next step, we will be working closely with healthcare professionals to ensure the diabetes community can benefit as quickly as possible from reimbursement and the wider availability of Dexcom CGM.”

The NHS spends approximately £10 billion a year on treating diabetes, with the Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Programme aiming to combat thousands of people from developing the illness and free up NHS resources in the long term.

A multitude of other diabetes technologies have also been made available on the NHS such as the Freestyle Libre.