Hundreds of diabetics in Helensburgh and Lomond could benefit from technology to change the way they manage the condition.

New figures have revealed the proportions of Type 1, or insulin dependent, diabetics currently getting access to insulin pumps and glucose monitors.

Technology at the moment includes flash glucose monitoring which monitor a person's sugars and can be read with an app on a mobile phone; continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) which is similar but sends the results every five minutes to a device; and insulin pump therapy.

CGM can work with an algorithm in the pump so it continually works to keep blood sugars from going too high or too low. It's called a closed loop system.

Of the 534 Type 1 diabetics over the age of 18 in Argyll and Bute, almost 28% use flash glucose monitoring.

Just under 10% use insulin pumps, and only 23 patients have CGM.

The rates are higher for children with diabetes, with more than half of 44 using flash glucose monitoring, 43% using a pump, and 10 youngsters using CGM.

Access to the technology requires patients to have gone through structured education with a diabetes nurse and dietitian.

They then get referred to a consultant at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde who review them for an insulin pump before getting added to the waiting list.

Before Covid-19, the wait was about six months but that has increased to two years.

Helensburgh and Lomond's MSP Jackie Baillie said the rollout of diabetes technology should be a priority after attending the recent Diabetes Scotland's World Diabetes Day reception at the Scottish Parliament.

The charity launched a "Diabetes Tech Can't Report" encouraging fair and equal access where NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde was lagging behind other areas for access to CGM and pumps.

The number of Type 2 diabetics using glucose monitoring is minimal.

Diabetes Scotland recommends all children and 70% of adults use closed loop technology by 2030.

Ms Baillie said: “It is disappointing that we’ve been fighting diabetes for so long, yet such a large proportion of children and adults continue without these lifesaving technologies.

"I am concerned that the figures in Greater Glasgow and Clyde are particularly low compared to elsewhere in Scotland meaning people here are missing out on vital support.

“Every person with diabetes, regardless of background, should have fair and equal access to technology that effectively manages the condition and enhances their overall wellbeing. No one should have to fight for it.

“I strongly endorse the recommendations outlined in this report and call on the Scottish Government to commit to achieving them.

"The ambitious targets set out represent a commitment to harnessing innovative technology to improve the quality of life for those grappling with this chronic condition.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been approached for comment.

First Person: Life with an insulin pump

I've been a Type 1 diabetic since a Friday the 13th in 1997 - and after more than a quarter century of injecting every time I wanted to eat, an insulin pump is a game changer, writes Tristan Stewart-Robertson.

How does it work? A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is usually in your arm and takes a reading of your blood sugar every five minutes.

That's then sent to the insulin pump that uses an algorithm to calculate what insulin you need to get your sugars as close to 6.1 as possible. (A non-diabetic is normally between 4 and 7.)

Whereas before I would hold my phone to my arm to read my levels, then take insulin in 1-unit increments to adjust or based on the carbohydrates in my food, now the pump calculates up to three decimal points of precision.

I started in May after two years on the waiting list. There are times when it is frustrating, and times when you have to adjust yourself to being plugged into two devices at all times.

But I can't deny the results. HbA1C is a measure of your blood sugars over three months as opposed to the moment-to-moment variations of any person's levels, whether you're diabetic or not.

After three months, my HbA1c dropped from 56 to 48, possibly my lowest level in 25 years.

Long term, that's the sort of numbers diabetics need - it reduces our risks of serious complications from diabetes, whether losing eyesight, limbs or countless other impacts.

And that's also why the NHS is waking up to the benefits: the cost of equipment now will save might higher costs of care and treatment later.

The combo of a pump and CGM creates what's called a closed-loop system. That is as close to having a function pancreas as you can get.

It may not be for everyone, but it should be considered for any Type 1 diabetic. And I'm grateful to the NHS paying for it.