Forum Home → Discussion → Disability benefits → Thread
Diabetic pump
Can a diabetic pump be treated as an aid under managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
An aid or appliance needs to improve, provide or replace an impaired physical or mental function - so I think if you can argue that its improving the impaired physical function of the pancreas to release insulin then I think you can argue that it’s an aid.
Diabetes UK call it ‘insulin pump therapy’ which is a good start…
The key thing then is what supervision, prompting or assistance is needed and for how long…
[ Edited: 10 May 2017 at 10:01 am by Daphne ]Thank you. The lady has memory problems she says due to diabetes and husbanf=d constantly prompts her to take insulin as she keeps forgetting
CPIP/2916/2016 might be worth a look too (along with the rightsnet summary) - although facts related to use of a nebuliser, Judge Jacobs also looks at general principles and considers diabetes (paras 18/19) and how non-syringe devices could be an aid if claimant can’t use a syringe.
Thank you. The lady has memory problems she says due to diabetes and husbanf=d constantly prompts her to take insulin as she keeps forgetting
confess i thought the point of the pump was that it obviates the need to remember ... assuming it’s working of course…
So did I but the insulin has to be adjusted according to blood sugar
In actual fact if you check website above it can mean more monitoring -
- You need to test your blood sugar levels more often – the insulin is short-acting, which means you constantly need to be aware of your insulin needs.
- You need to have the pump constantly attached, with only short breaks for a shower or exercise.
- Risk of infection from the cannula.
- The infusion line can become blocked, which means changing it more often.
- A lot of time is needed to learn about the pump and your diabetes, especially in the beginning.
under the same premise - does a catheter count?
my client’s needs to be changed 2/3 times a week - which he can do himself but I only the one point to get him back onto standard rate.
does a catheter count?
I hope so; I’ll be running that very argument in the months to come. It certainly would improve an impaired physical function so I can’t see why not.
I’ll let you know how I get on with it then - my hearing is on the 20th June. 😊