Access to blood glucose testing supplies incl. test strips

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The current NICE guidelines concerning self-monitoring of blood glucose for people with type 2 diabetes is available here.

The sections relevant to self-testing can be found on the following pages:
  • Page 7 - Key priorities for implementation
  • Pages 12 to 13 - Self-monitoring of plasma glucose
Page 7 - Key priorities for implementation

Offer structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review. Inform people and their carers that structured education is an integral part of diabetes care.

Offer self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education. Discuss its purpose and agree how it should be interpreted and acted upon.

You’ll notice it says “Offer self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education”

This shouldn’t be used as an excuse to not provide blood glucose testing supplies. If your health centre have not offered structured education to you, ask for them to do arrange this and point out that having access to testing supplies is "an integral part of the self-management education".

Pages 12 to 13 - Self-monitoring of plasma glucose

1.4.2 Self-monitoring of plasma glucose should be available:

  • to those on insulin treatment
  • to those on oral glucose-lowering medications to provide information on hypoglycaemia
  • to assess changes in glucose control resulting from medications and lifestyle changes
  • to monitor changes during intercurrent illness
  • to ensure safety during activities, including driving.

The above guidelines therefore cover everyone on insulin, arguably anyone on tablets for their diabetes and, importantly, anyone who needs to assess changes in glucose control resulting from lifestyle changes.

A change of diet could quite reasonably be deemed a lifestyle change. If you feel you need access to blood testing supplies to support decisions about which foods to include in your diet, then you have grounds to request access to blood testing supplies.

Make your testing count

In theory, you should be assessed annually for your suitability for blood glucose testing supplies.

1.4.3 Assess at least annually and in a structured way:

  • self-monitoring skills
  • the quality and appropriate frequency of testing
  • the use made of the results obtained
  • the impact on quality of life
  • the continued benefit
  • the equipment used.

If you have type 2 diabetes, it is therefore important to make your testing count by writing down your numbers and recording how you are making sense of the results. If you can show you are making use of your results to control your health, you will improve your chances of continuing to have blood glucose testing supplies prescribed for you.

Making a case for having access to home blood glucose testing

Sadly, some doctors may be less willing to offer access to testing supplies to people with type 2 diabetes than others and may come up with reasons for why they won’t prescribe test strips.

A number of great threads have appeared on the forum offering advice to people who have been campaigning to be prescribed blood test strips.


Note: This post is a modification of Sue/Ken's original post to bring it up to date.
 
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