I am in total agreement with everyone here who is frustrated about the lack of access to Libre sensors on NHS. Most diabetes do care deeply about looking after themselves and whoever creates these silly rules about how much you test etc to qualify (even if getting it is even an option) should know it’s pointless. The only criteria is that if people don’t look after themselves once they are using these devices, there is no reason in them continuing to get it.
I find this device a game changer for my diabetes. The ability to check regularly and get insights about your blood sugar levels over the last period is beyond useful. For myself, not only has this meant now I am now averaging 5-7mmol overnight with good daytime control, it’s rare to have a hypo as it’s quick and easy to test as regularly as you like. All of a sudden finger pricking blood tests every 2 hours seems very inefficient, inconvenient and outdated.
For most of us, buying this device is way too expensive, leaving us having to buy it when we can afford it. So good control gets worse. It’s so frustrating. What I don’t understand is how the decision makers factor in the savings. Besides the tabs cost, it’s possible for health specialists to view data online (less appointments) and know exactly what our readings are, how often we take a reading and more. Would. a years worth of data (24 hours a day) not be more valuable that a HBA1C result? Would better control result in less laser eye treatments, less complications and less amputations that are very expensive to treat, let alone the reduction in our quality of life.
At the very least, I ask the decision makers in each part of the country to tell us how much would be saved by not using three pots of tabs and obtaining finger pricking needles each month. At least, if we cannot have it fee right now, start out being cost neutral by covering the money saved when you force us to buy our own sensors just so we can look after ourselves. But to leave most of us having to find the full price of £48 a sensor when the NHS can buy at £35 means they could at the very least allow us to buy at say £20 a sensor after factoring the tab cost.
But that’s only s short term fix. This device should be available free to everyone who takes responsibility to look after themselves and wants it, period.
If you go and spend £100 getting drunk on a Friday night and fall over and break your leg, the NHS will sort you out. If you go abroad and have cheap cosmetic surgery and it goes wrong, when you come home the NHS will likely sort you out. But if you have diabetes, a lifelong condition that none of us asked for, care about good control and would benefit from a device like the libre sensor, for many of us - you’re on your own, go pay £48 every two weeks.
I am seeing my consultant at the end of April and I intend to find out exactly why it’s not available and what the future it likely to be and then, who we need to lobby to get this device 100% on the NHS everywhere. It should not be a lottery.