Can I get hybrid closed loop technology on the NHS?

This page is a summary of what is available on the NHS. Talk to your Diabetes Healthcare Team about what is available to you and how it might help.

If you have any questions about or issues with accessing technology, contact us.

The NHS in England and Wales

Hybrid closed loop is not yet widely available through the NHS in England and Wales. However, if you meet the criteria for an insulin pump then you can choose a pump that will form a hybrid closed loop with your choice of continuous glucose monitor (CGM).

If the CGM you’re already using doesn’t work with a pump to form a hybrid closed loop, then you will be able to change to a one that does (under the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines).

Hybrid closed loop systems can also be purchased from manufacturers privately, depending on the level of support available to you through your healthcare provider. Talk to your healthcare team to find out more about the options available to you.

In 2022 NICE announced successful results for an artificial pancreas pilot and is expected to update its guidance on hybrid closed loop for England and Wales in 2023. We have given feedback on the draft recommendations to call for hybrid closed loop technology to be more widely available on the NHS.

The NHS in Northern Ireland

Hybrid closed loop technology is not yet widely available through the NHS in Northern Ireland. This is because insulin pump therapy and CGM are not widely available. However, as flash glucose monitoring is more available, some people have built a DIY hybrid closed loop.

The NHS in Scotland

NHS Scotland has recommended that hybrid closed loop systems should be pro-actively discussed with all patients with type 1, particularly those who have:

• Suboptimal blood glucose management
• A high risk of severe hypoglycaemia
• Impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia
• Experience severe diabetes-related distress that adversely affects quality of life and is likely to be improved by using a closed loop system.

It also recommended that people already using both a CGM and an insulin pump should be offered a closed-loop system, but if people are managing well with how they already manage their type 1, they should stay on that care plan.

Read the recommendations in full for more detail.

What is JDRF doing to widen access to hybrid closed loop technology on the NHS?

One of our main goals at JDRF is to make sure that everyone with type 1 diabetes who wants or needs a hybrid closed loop system is able to get one for free. Read more about our treatment advocacy work and how you can support us.