London: Nearly 900 patients with type 1 diabetes in England are testing a potentially life-changing artificial pancreas.

The device eliminates the need for finger prick tests and prevent life-threatening hypoglycaemic attacks, where blood sugar levels fall too low.

The technology uses a sensor under the skin. It continually monitors the levels, and a pump automatically adjusts the amount of insulin required.

Many are using this instrument including children from 6 years of age. This development has a massive impact on families. Prior to having the loop, testing and administering insulin was done manually. People had to set the alarm every two hours to do finger pricks and corrections of insulin to deal with the ups and downs of blood sugars.

About 400,000 people in the UK have type 1 diabetes, a condition where the body cannot produce insulin, the hormone which regulates blood sugar levels.

NHS England says it is the first nationwide test of the technology in the world, and it comes 100 years after the first diabetes patient received insulin injections.

Chris Askew, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: "This technology has the potential to transform the lives of people with type 1 diabetes, improving both their quality of life and clinical outcomes."

To date, 875 patients have joined the pilot, which will enroll up to 1,000 people. The results will be part of an assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is considering where to roll out the technology more widely.