West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has welcomed news that more county diabetes patients are now able to access better technology to monitor glucose levels to manage their condition. The Government’s Long-Term Plan for the NHS confirmed that more patients would be able to use ‘Flash Glucose Monitoring’ which uses a permanent sensor on the upper arm. The technology replaces the need for Type 1 diabetes sufferers to prick themselves more than 8 hours a day to monitor their glucose levels. Harriett has raised the need for Worcestershire’s GPs to move to the new technology with the Clinical Commissioning Group on behalf of a group of constituents. Historically, patients had to pay for the Freestyle Libre patches themselves but the CCG carried out a review and changed its prescribing policy earlier this year, resulting in an increase usage in the county. The MP attended a briefing in Westminster this week showing that patients using the technology is now increasing with over ten per cent of people in the county having moved away from ‘finger prick’ glucose testing. Harriett said: “Constituents with diabetes who have been lobbying me for this Freestyle Libre treatment will be pleased to know that it is now available locally, thanks to our local Clinical Commissioning Group which has agreed to prescribe it to patients assuming the patient fulfills clinical criteria and follows educational and behavioural requirements.”