Pump Terms

Glossary letters

  1. 4 terms starting with A
  2. 6 terms starting with B
  3. 9 terms starting with C
  4. 6 terms starting with D
  5. 1 terms starting with E
  6. 2 terms starting with F
  7. 2 terms starting with G
  8. 4 terms starting with H
  9. 6 terms starting with I
  10. No terms starting with J
  11. No terms starting with K
  12. 2 terms starting with L
  13. 3 terms starting with M
  14. 2 terms starting with N
  15. 1 terms starting with O
  16. 6 terms starting with P
  17. No terms starting with Q
  18. 1 terms starting with R
  19. 6 terms starting with S
  20. 7 terms starting with T
  21. 1 terms starting with U
  22. No terms starting with V
  23. No terms starting with W
  24. No terms starting with X
  25. No terms starting with Y
  26. No terms starting with Z

Reference

  1. 01A to Z glossary

Explainers

  1. 02How an insulin pump works
  2. 03Pump or injections?
  3. 04Infusion sets and site rotation
  4. 05Carbohydrate counting
  5. 06Alarms and fail-safes
  6. 07Sick days
  7. 08Exercise
  8. 09School and nursery
  9. 10Travelling with a pump

Related reading

  1. 11Diabetes and the nervous system
  2. 12Official UK guidance

About

  1. 13About
  2. 14How we check facts
  3. 15Contact
  4. 16Privacy

Where to find official UK guidance on diabetes technology

A short directory of the main UK public sources on insulin pumps and related technology, with a plain description of what each one publishes and where it applies.

Updated 11 October 20263 min readGeneral information, not medical adviceBy the Pump Terms editors

Pump Terms is a reference site and not an official body. It explains vocabulary and points to the places where decisions are actually made, so the pages here should be checked against the sources below. Rules and funding can differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and guidance is revised from time to time, so the date on each page matters. Each entry says what a reader can find there. For how this site checks its own claims, see how we check facts.

NHS website

The NHS treatment page for type 1 diabetes gives a short, everyday description of insulin pumps and who may be offered one on the NHS. It is a good first stop for readers who want a general overview before reading formal guidance. Background on how pumps work is also in how an insulin pump works.

NICE guidance

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) publishes national guidance on treatments and technologies. Four documents are most relevant to pumps. TA151 covers continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (insulin pump therapy) for treating type 1 diabetes in adults and children; it was published in July 2008 and last reviewed in June 2016. NG17 covers diagnosis and management of type 1 diabetes in adults. NG18 covers type 1 and type 2 diabetes in children and young people. TA943, published in December 2023, covers hybrid closed loop systems for type 1 diabetes. A plain-language reading of the pump recommendations is on pump or injections.

NHS England

NHS England publishes information on rolling out technology in the health service. Its hybrid closed loop technology page explains that these systems link continuous glucose monitoring with a pump, and describes the NICE-recommended phased roll-out for groups including children and young people and people who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy. It also tells eligible patients to keep attending appointments and discuss options with their diabetes team.

Diabetes UK

Diabetes UK is a charity, not a regulator, but its guide Can I get insulin pumps on the NHS? sets out eligibility guidelines for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It stresses that these are guidelines only and that diabetes teams may follow a local policy. It also covers what to do if a request is declined.

MHRA

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) runs the Yellow Card scheme, which collects safety concerns about medicines and healthcare products. Its GOV.UK guidance, Report safety concerns with insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring equipment, was published in October 2024 and explains how users, families and carers can report problems through the Yellow Card scheme. The MHRA says it cannot give medical advice, so health worries go to a healthcare professional.

NHS inform (Scotland)

NHS inform is the public health information service for Scotland. Its type 1 diabetes page explains that some people receive insulin by a pump, describes check-ups and screening, and lists the Yellow Card scheme for reporting side effects of medicines and medical devices.

Breakthrough T1D UK

Breakthrough T1D UK, formerly known as JDRF UK, is a type 1 diabetes charity. Its guide to type 1 diabetes technology covers pens, pumps, glucose monitors and hybrid closed loop systems. It notes that what is available on the NHS can differ by criteria and by where someone lives, and it links to a tool for exploring options.

In short

For general explanations, start with the NHS and NHS inform. For formal recommendations, use NICE and NHS England, and for device safety, the MHRA. The charities Diabetes UK and Breakthrough T1D UK add practical guides, including how access differs across the four nations. Pump Terms is not an official body, and the reader's own diabetes team has the final word on any decision.