A DESPERATE mum claims the NHS is refusing to fund a life-changing treatment to help her sick daughter.

Lenni Mae Luxton, seven, who suffers from Type One diabetes, was constantly having to stop and prick herself throughout the day to find out whether her blood glucose was going dangerously low or high.

Lenni is forced to spend hours a week out of class as she tried to control the condition causing her to fall behind the rest of her class.

Mum Anna Luxton came across Dexcom, a treatment which involves inserting a small needle attached to a patch the size of a £2 coin into her daughter’s arm once every ten days, which accurately measure the glucose levels and sends the information direct to her phone.

She said: “It alerts if Lenni’s bloods are too high or low preventing long term damage for the highs and risk of diabetic comas with the low blood sugar levels. It also sends weekly reports to see the percentage of time you have been in or out of range.

“I couldn’t believe what a difference this was making to Lenni’s life, things were finally beginning to get back to normal.

“Although we were funding the cost ourselves, we always thought it would be a ‘no brainier’ for the NHS to fund going forward as it made such a difference to Lenni and she was responding so effectively.

“We were told that potentially Lenni had a good chance of having the Dexcom funding seeing that she hasn’t been hypo for a long time and also that she is under twelve.”

The family’s hopes were dashed this week when they were told the treatment would no longer be funded as Lenni was now stable.

The treatment costs the family £160 a month, which they are struggling to afford.

Miss Luxton of Trent Close, Wickford, added: “This is ridiculous. The only reason my daughter is stable is because of the Dexcom, surely I am not expected to take it away from her so that she deteriorates again just so she can qualify for funding, it’s crazy. How can any parent be asked to do this and watch their child suffer?

“I appreciate the NHS has limited funds, but I don’t think they are looking at the long-term benefits of this.

NHS England were contacted for comment but later directed the Echo to the Basildon and Brentwood CCG, who were also contacted but were unable to provide a response.