Insulin pump allows King’s patients to better manage diabetes

Diabetes patients at King’s College Hospital have begun using a new insulin pump to help manage their condition.

The tubeless device – an upgrade on the previous version – is attached to the wearer’s body, and a touchscreen handset with a simple interface, much like a smartphone, allows users to discreetly administer the required levels of insulin.

The device can provide up to three days of insulin delivery without the need for daily injections.

Ben Smith from Streatham was the first patient at King’s to use the new insulin pump. The sporty 37-year-old finance worker, who has completed ultra marathons and will be running the 2020 London Marathon, has been cared for by the diabetes team at King’s for the last 10 years.

Talking about the device, Ben said, “I’ve been using a wireless insulin pump for seven years and it has had a huge impact on my quality of life – I can just get on with my daily routine. The upgraded system is just like a mobile phone so programming my meals is more intuitive and user-friendly than before. The data collected will help the team at King’s to monitor my condition and allow me to continue managing my diabetes.

“The diabetes service at King’s is second to none. It’s progressive and has offered me innovative solutions to manage my condition and lead an active, healthy lifestyle.”

Dr Pratik Choudhary, consultant in diabetes at King’s College Hospital in Camberwell, said, “We’re proud to be the first centre in the UK to offer this new device, which will help expand choice available for people with diabetes, including those on multiple daily injections who are using or considering the use of insulin pump therapy.”

King’s runs the largest insulin pump service in the UK and has long been at the forefront of bringing the latest technology to its patients. In 2015, King’s trialled an implantable blood sugar monitor that can stay in the body for up to five months.