Life-changing health technology is being denied to people in west Dorset because of a postcode lottery, campaigners say.

A mother and daughter from Bridport are lobbying for access to diabetes technology which, they say, is readily available to people in neighbouring counties.

Rosey Edwardes, 13, has had type 1 diabetes since she was 17 months old and has to check her blood glucose levels at least 10 times a day by finger prick.

Along with mum Kirsty, Rosey joined members of Diabetes UK outside County Hall yesterday ahead of a meeting of Dorset County Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Their aim was to press Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to make a potentially life-changing blood glucose monitoring device available on the NHS in the county.

The flash glucose monitoring device is a painless method of testing blood glucose levels. It uses a small sensor that people wear on their skin and records and stores the past eight hours of glucose readings and can be read by scanning the sensor whenever needed. It frees people with diabetes, like Rosey, from having to check their levels using an unpleasant finger prick blood test.

The device is available on the NHS but its use is subject to approval by local health bodies. The CCG previously ruled it would be made available on a six-month trial for adults with diabetes who meet certain criteria, and that it would identify a group of children suitable for the use of the device once it received a final application for its use from paediatricians in the county.

Cllr Keith Day, whose wife was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes more than 60 years ago, addressed the committee yesterday, saying: “There is a lot of worldwide evidence that accepts how effective [the device] is in providing accurate diabetic control.

“Why then, is Dorset so set on delaying the introduction? In nearby Somerset and Wiltshire you will have it prescribed. Why is Dorset so arrogant in its belief that they have a better understanding of the device – especially in view of all the mounting evidence?”

Cllr Nick Ireland said the decision not to make the device available for children so far was 'bizarre and perverse' as they would be 'the cohort that would benefit the most.'

Cllr Ray Bryan said: “I’m struggling to understand why we’re dragging our feet on this. Diabetes is a terrible, terrible thing. It is so important and affects so many people’s lives. I’m frustrated this delay is going on into next years. We’ve got a young girl here who was brave enough to come here and speak.

“Any delay to me is absolutely unacceptable.”

There are around 5,000 people in Dorset living with diabetes who could potentially benefit.

Rosey’s parents currently have to pay for the glucose monitoring device for their daughter but are not always able to buy it.

Speaking outside the meeting, Rosey said: “Normally when I do my finger pricks my skin gets bumpy and sore. Getting the sensor would change my life.”

Kirsty added: “Flash has really improved Rosey’s diabetes control. Rosey has to prick her finger eight to 10 times a day and it can damage the nerve endings. With the sensor I wouldn’t have to wake her up at night, and she can do the check through her clothes so she wouldn’t have to prick her skin. Flash makes a huge difference to Rosey’s life.”