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NHS England patients in the Midlands with Type 1 diabetes will now be eligible for life-changing continuous glucose monitors after the health service secured a new cut-price deal.

The wearable arm gadget sends information to a mobile app and allows diabetes patients to keep track of their glucose levels at all times without having to scan or take a finger prick test.

Traditionally, continuous glucose monitors are more expensive than their flash monitor counterparts – which record glucose levels by scanning a sensor – but thanks to the NHS agreeing on a new cost-effective deal with manufacturers DEXCOM, they will now be available for NHS patients on prescription at a similar price.

The monitor, called Dexcom ONE Real Time-Continuous Glucose Monitoring, 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.

Patients will receive their 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

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

Professor Azhar Farooqi, Co-Clinical Director for the Midlands Cardiovascular Disease and Respiratory Network and GP at East Leicester Medical Practice, said:

“This is a huge step forward for Type 1 diabetes care and these monitors will be life-changing for anyone with the illness. This is yet another example of how technology can help people manage their long-term conditions from the comfort of their own homes, reducing pressure on the NHS and improving health outcomes for patients.

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

A multitude of other diabetes treatments has also been made available on the NHS such as the Freestyle Libre which automatically balances blood sugar levels by delivering insulin directly to the bloodstream.