All patients with Type 1 diabetes in England will be offered new blood sugar level monitors which have been hailed as the 'biggest step forward' in diabetes care.

The new wearable monitor will allow people to check their blood sugar levels in seconds.

It will also constantly check patients' glucose levels with the monitor, which is the size of a £2 coin.

The user can scan the monitor on an app and get a reading which tells them whether their blood sugar levels are at the correct level. 

'Flash-monitoring' helps to improve blood glucose levels in people with Type 1 diabetes and also improves the quality of life for patients. 

Diabetes UK said that the decision was “transformational” for people with the condition.

Chris Askew, chief executive at Diabetes UK, said: “These landmark guidelines promise to be transformational for people living with diabetes.

“What we are seeing today is a key shift in thinking – a move to recognising that technology is an integral part of diabetes management, not simply an added luxury.”

Previously only three in five patients were eligible and now it will be rolled out to all people with Type 1 diabetes. 

The move comes after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) approved the use of the monitors throughout NHS England. 

Professor Partha Kar, national NHS specialty adviser for diabetes, for the health service in England, added: “This announcement is the biggest step forward for Type 1 diabetes care in years, allowing everyone eligible to have one of these easy to use pieces of tech if they want to – building on the success of the NHS in its roll-out so far. I am delighted to see Nice endorse the use of this technology.

“These monitors are a win win – they support diabetes patients to live healthier lives, reduce their risk of hospitalisation while also helping to reduce pressure on NHS services and provide better value for money for taxpayers.”