Through dialogue with local clinicians, the Medicines Management and Optimisation diabetes team recognised that some of the insulin pumps locally commissioned were either being discontinued or superseded by new models, and no one had assumed responsibility for updating this. There was also variation in the process clinicians had to follow when initiating a pump. This was providing barriers to effective provision of pumps and driving inequality of access.
We therefore formed a working group to conduct an options appraisal of the insulin pumps market, considering both cost and quality factors. We led on the project, devising an evaluation process, engaging different stakeholders on the working group, steering it through the ICB governance process, and seeing the project through to implementation. As not all pumps have the same functionality, the working group proposed four new pump categories and suggested a minimum of two pumps in each to maintain choice.
Now that the project has been completed, the list of pumps locally commissioned has been updated resulting in a harmonised choice and process across the area. A new ordering process is being implemented by the finance team, such that pumps will now be added to the trusts contract via a new protocol. This is going live at the time of submission (July 2022).
