DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release (2008/0019) issued by The Government News Network on 11
February 2008
- New islet
transplantation to treat diabetes -
A revolutionary new treatment will offer new hope for a group of
people with Type 1 diabetes, Health Minister Ann Keen announced today.
From 1 April 2008, a specialised service at six centres across
the UK will allow selected people with Type 1 diabetes to live
free from the risk of blackouts and hospital admissions associated
with hypoglycaemia.
The Department of Health will invest up to £2.34 million in islet
transplant services in the first year, increasing to a maximum of
£7.32 million to meet the predicted annual need in the longer term.
People receiving the treatment will be injected with insulin
producing islets, taken from a donated pancreas. Each of them
will have suffered from recurrent hypoglycaemia or have had a
kidney transplant.
Health Minister Ann Keen said:
"In developing islet transplants for people who suffer from
hypoglycaemia, the NHS is at the forefront of worldwide clinical
innovation. This programme will ensure that people who have been
unable to treat hypoglycaemia with conventional therapies will
benefit from significant improvements to their quality of life".
"These patients are dependent on organ donors for pancreases
from which islet cells are transplanted. To ensure that as many
people as possible can benefit from this groundbreaking therapy,
I am committed to improving donor coordination services as
recommended in the recent 'Organs for Transplants' report."
Islet transplants have previously been offered to twelve patients
in England under funding from charities, principally Diabetes UK.
Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said:
"We are delighted that Diabetes UK-funded research has
proved to the Government what huge immediate and long-term
potential islet cell transplantation has. The Department of
Health's decision to fund this programme will be life
changing for some people with Type 1 diabetes who suffer from the
most serious effects of hypoglycaemia. Resolving the worst cases
could save the NHS a significant amount of money, as hypoglycaemic
attacks cost £15m a year in hospitalisations and ambulances alone."
In the first year, it is expected that around 20 transplants will
take place at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, the Royal
Free Hampstead NHS Trust, London, Kings College Hospital NHS
Foundation Trust, London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust,
North Bristol NHS Trust and Central Manchester and Manchester
Children's NHS Trust. The service will then expand to meet
the predicted annual need of approximately 80 transplants in
subsequent years.
Islet transplantation is a suitable alternative to whole organ
pancreas transplant as it is less invasive and can be considered
for patients with cardiac disease who would be unfit for open surgery.
Notes to Editors
1. Hypoglycaemia is the medical term for low blood glucose.
2. Diabetes is a long-term condition where the body is unable to
control the amount of glucose in the blood. Type 1 diabetes
develops when the body cannot produce the natural hormone insulin.
3. The National Commissioning Group (NCG) considers applications
from providers of very highly specialised services for national
designation and central funding and where appropriate make
recommendations to the Secretary of State. Currently NCG
nationally designates 38 very highly specialised service at over
50 NHS Trusts and funds 37 of these services. In 2007/08 the NCG
programme budget is £346m per annum.
4. The six centres in England receiving national designation and
funding from NCG are:
Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust
Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust
North Bristol NHS Trust
Central Manchester and Manchester Children's NHS Trust
An integrated hub-and-spoke programme will be established whereby
islets will be prepared in the specialised central clinical
laboratories in London and Oxford for distribution to the six
regional transplant centres.
5. The diabetes National Service Framework (NSF) was launched on
January 9th 2003. The NSF is a ten year plan for provision of
services nationally to help people to manage their own diabetes
and help to prevent them from developing the complications of the
disease. Following the diabetes NSF people with diabetes will
receive better care, more support and services. The diabetes NSF
is available on the Department of Health website: http://www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/diabetes
and can be ordered from: Department of Health Publications, PO Box
777, London, SE1 6XH, fax 01623 724 524 email doh@prologistics.co.uk.
6. A guide for people with diabetes, 'Diabetes Care - Your
future health and wellbeing' is available from Department of
Health Publications, PO Box 777, London SE1 6XH, tel: 08701 555
455, fax: 01623 724 524, email: doh@prolog.uk.com - quote 29335
and the title.
7. Residents of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will be
treated in English centres. The National Services Division in
Scotland (equivalent of the English NCG) will be considering a
transplant centre in Edinburgh to start in April 2009.
8. Current and Future Research on Diabetes: a Review for the
Department of Health and the Medical Research Council is available
on the Department of Health website http://www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/diabetes/research.
[ENDS]