Off pump plan

If you wear a pump you must have a backup system for insulin delivery available. It is recommended that you should carry the following items when going out:

• Handset/phone for reading glucose sensor (e.g Libre/Dexcom etc)
• Blood glucose meter and finger pricking device
  • Blood glucose test strips
  • Lancets
  • Cotton wool
• Ketone test strips (for blood or urine testing)
• Cannula
• Infusion set
• Battery
• Syringe or bolus and background insulin pens with needles
• BD Safe-Clip™
• Insulin pen
• Treatment for hypoglycaemia
• Emergency contact numbers

Pump failure plan

If the pump is not working properly you will need to go back to insulin injections. It is important to always make sure you have a stock of your insulin pen devices (basal and bolus).

Work out your total daily basal rate of insulin (i.e. not including bolus doses) and inject this amount immediately with your prescribed basal (long-acting/background insulin) such as

• Lantus or
• Levemir or
• Humulin I or
• Insulatard.

If you are on a total daily basal rate of 18 units then inject 18 units of long-acting insulin or you may half this dose to take twice daily, for example, 9 units in the morning and 9 units in the evening.

You should already have discussed this with your insulin pump team during insulin pump training. This will need to be repeated daily until you have a replacement pump.

Use your usual insulin to carbohydrate ratio with your usual corrections, delivering the short-acting insulin (Novorapid, Humalog Lispro or Apidra) with your pen or syringe. You will probably need more corrections than usual.

Contact the pump manufacturer who will arrange to supply another pump for you if it is within warranty.