• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Refused blood sticks by GP (Type 1)

London36_

London36_

Well-Known Member
Messages
132
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Went to collect my test strips today without success and was told by pharmacist (who had been told by GP/receptionist) that I'm 'over using' blood sticks and that's why my prescription was declined. Apparently I must book an appointment to discuss my 'overuse' (but they can't fit me in until Thursday!) Ahhhh anyone would think I'm getting high or getting a kick by making my fingers bleed.

I called GP and said to receptionist that I felt very unsafe and vulnerable by not being able to test and that I'm not booking an appointment to discuss overuse. Feel like I would be bullied? They had, in the last month, received a letter from my pump team explaining I test up to 10 times a day. On their average, since last prescription, I would have been testing 4 times a day. (I did have more already at home though.) overuse?!?! Is this what budget cuts and pressure upon GPs has come to?

As I refused appointment, I called my consultant who was super supportive / horrified and will write again to them. In the meantime, I've had to buy them. £27.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem? Did it get resolved? My consultant said she could only write which has made me worried that they could still refuse me.

Feeling frustrated and sad.
 
I had a GP in South Wales that thought one strip a day was enough... Imagine the shock he got when he had a letter to supply 300 a month!!

He did do it and since then although back to MDI I'm fortunate so far to keep 300. However, having just moved Practice again and no longer on pump I can only wait to see their true reaction when I see the DSN in a few weeks.

Incidentally I'm surprised that this new GP only sends T1's to consultants if they suffer hypo's... But if they have normal hba1c will only be seen by them. No hospital referral....
 
This article might help you.

http://www.inputdiabetes.org.uk/bgm/

Obtaining Adequate Glucose Testing Strips

It has often been said that 99% of diabetes care is self-care: many people with type 1 diabetes spend less than 24 hours in the company of diabetes care professionals in an average year. Patients’ ability to self-manage diabetes depends on access to appropriate resources, including both drugs and blood glucose monitoring.

If your GP does not give you adequate test strips on the grounds of cost, this simple statement may be all you need to persuade them: ‘If you think test strips are expensive, wait until you see how much it costs when I don’t test.’

If that argument doesn’t work, you could try the following steps in order:

  1. Discuss the matter with your GP. Even though it might seem obvious, say you have type 1 diabetes and have different needs from someone with type 2 diabetes.
  2. Print this article, and this letter, and this blog post by Professor Peter Hindmarsh, and discuss them with your GP.
  3. Ask your diabetes consultant or diabetes specialist nurse to write to the GP to explain your individual clinical needs with regard to blood glucose testing.
  4. Raise the matter with your CCG/Local Health Board. Your GP will be able to give you the relevant contact information. In many parts of the country, local policies do not distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
  5. Contact your local MP and ask them to help you resolve the situation.
 
London36_ said:
Went to collect my test strips today without success and was told by pharmacist (who had been told by GP/receptionist) that I'm 'over using' blood sticks and that's why my prescription was declined. Apparently I must book an appointment to discuss my 'overuse' (but they can't fit me in until Thursday!) Ahhhh anyone would think I'm getting high or getting a kick by making my fingers bleed.

I called GP and said to receptionist that I felt very unsafe and vulnerable by not being able to test and that I'm not booking an appointment to discuss overuse. Feel like I would be bullied? They had, in the last month, received a letter from my pump team explaining I test up to 10 times a day. On their average, since last prescription, I would have been testing 4 times a day. (I did have more already at home though.) overuse?!?! Is this what budget cuts and pressure upon GPs has come to?

As I refused appointment, I called my consultant who was super supportive / horrified and will write again to them. In the meantime, I've had to buy them. £27.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem? Did it get resolved? My consultant said she could only write which has made me worried that they could still refuse me.

Feeling frustrated and sad.
Click to expand...
That's outrageous. I wonder if the decision was made by the doctor or the practice manager.
 
I bet it costs money for a referral!

I've got less than 100 a month- was last prescribed 100 a month a go and that's overuse :(

Weirdly, I think GPs get/got a bonus of some sort if your HbA1c was good - even if all your care is at hospital.
 
London36_ said:
Went to collect my test strips today without success and was told by pharmacist (who had been told by GP/receptionist) that I'm 'over using' blood sticks and that's why my prescription was declined. Apparently I must book an appointment to discuss my 'overuse' (but they can't fit me in until Thursday!) Ahhhh anyone would think I'm getting high or getting a kick by making my fingers bleed.

I called GP and said to receptionist that I felt very unsafe and vulnerable by not being able to test and that I'm not booking an appointment to discuss overuse. Feel like I would be bullied? They had, in the last month, received a letter from my pump team explaining I test up to 10 times a day. On their average, since last prescription, I would have been testing 4 times a day. (I did have more already at home though.) overuse?!?! Is this what budget cuts and pressure upon GPs has come to?

As I refused appointment, I called my consultant who was super supportive / horrified and will write again to them. In the meantime, I've had to buy them. £27.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem? Did it get resolved? My consultant said she could only write which has made me worried that they could still refuse me.

Feeling frustrated and sad.
Click to expand...
back in november I had my yearly checkup. The earliest appointment with the daibetic nurse was 3 weeks,after the blood and urine samples. told to see a GP as reading were high. another 15 days before I saw her just to be told what I already new - high readings and test my bg more. (did't see what that was going to do) and see the nurse again. Not given testing strips. suggested I should buy a different blood pressure monitor than the one I have. I have an appointment with the nurse on Thursday but what be the point of that if she refers me back again. Quite frankly with the increase number of diabetics they realized it is a very big cost cutting exercise not to supply them any more. The test strips are cheaper on line.
 
robert72 said:
That's outrageous. I wonder if the decision was made by the doctor or the practice manager.
Click to expand...
Not sure, don't really know about practice managers or what they do...They didn't sound as convicted when I reminded them about letter just sent to them RE my testing a lot from hospital but I still had to book the overuse appointment. Ahhh
 
catherinecherub said:
This article might help you.

http://www.inputdiabetes.org.uk/bgm/

Obtaining Adequate Glucose Testing Strips

It has often been said that 99% of diabetes care is self-care: many people with type 1 diabetes spend less than 24 hours in the company of diabetes care professionals in an average year. Patients’ ability to self-manage diabetes depends on access to appropriate resources, including both drugs and blood glucose monitoring.

If your GP does not give you adequate test strips on the grounds of cost, this simple statement may be all you need to persuade them: ‘If you think test strips are expensive, wait until you see how much it costs when I don’t test.’

If that argument doesn’t work, you could try the following steps in order:

  1. Discuss the matter with your GP. Even though it might seem obvious, say you have type 1 diabetes and have different needs from someone with type 2 diabetes.
  2. Print this article, and this letter, and this blog post by Professor Peter Hindmarsh, and discuss them with your GP.
  3. Ask your diabetes consultant or diabetes specialist nurse to write to the GP to explain your individual clinical needs with regard to blood glucose testing.
  4. Raise the matter with your CCG/Local Health Board. Your GP will be able to give you the relevant contact information. In many parts of the country, local policies do not distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
  5. Contact your local MP and ask them to help you resolve the situation.
Click to expand...
catherinecherub said:
This article might help you.

http://www.inputdiabetes.org.uk/bgm/

Obtaining Adequate Glucose Testing Strips

It has often been said that 99% of diabetes care is self-care: many people with type 1 diabetes spend less than 24 hours in the company of diabetes care professionals in an average year. Patients’ ability to self-manage diabetes depends on access to appropriate resources, including both drugs and blood glucose monitoring.

If your GP does not give you adequate test strips on the grounds of cost, this simple statement may be all you need to persuade them: ‘If you think test strips are expensive, wait until you see how much it costs when I don’t test.’

If that argument doesn’t work, you could try the following steps in order:

  1. Discuss the matter with your GP. Even though it might seem obvious, say you have type 1 diabetes and have different needs from someone with type 2 diabetes.
  2. Print this article, and this letter, and this blog post by Professor Peter Hindmarsh, and discuss them with your GP.
  3. Ask your diabetes consultant or diabetes specialist nurse to write to the GP to explain your individual clinical needs with regard to blood glucose testing.
  4. Raise the matter with your CCG/Local Health Board. Your GP will be able to give you the relevant contact information. In many parts of the country, local policies do not distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
  5. Contact your local MP and ask them to help you resolve the situation.
Click to expand...
thank you so much! Great articles that will definitely help. Can't wait to get my highlighter out - ha!
 
I asked my GP for more strips , at first they were very reluctant as they were saying the cost . But being on the insulin pump I need to check at least 10 times a day . Eventually they let me have them . The GP was trying to get me to use a cheaper strip with one of there machines . I spoke to my consultant at the hospital and she went mad about this so I'm on the same machine with the same strips cause they work for me
 
@London36_ I had exactly the same problem for months. Despite having brittle, insulin diabetes I was given 100 test strips per month! I tried every argument, none worked until I explained to the practice manager the requirements for testing when driving and nicely suggested that they were being complicit in me being an unsafe and illegal driver because I didn't have enough kit to comply with the law. Suddenly I have no more problems, as many test strips as I want! It was the only thing that worked so give it a go!! Xx
 
I have a telephone appointment with my GP this morning and i will be asking for more strips because I had to buy some 2 weeks ago, I am on the insight pump and could not get these strips put on my prescription for 2 weeks after I was started on the pump, luckily my DSN had gave me 100 just in case. I have not been able to do a full basal test as I am already testing 10 times or more a day and using my mobile meter aswell as the insight handset.

Let's see what he says !!
 
I've had this argument with my GP for years. Managed to get 150 a month, then after the daphne course I attended my DSN got it up to 200 per month. However, now I am pregnant I have to test even more and have to do much more basal rate testing etc I rang up and requested more strips and my GP has refused them! They know I am pregnant too! I have to see my obstetrician and ask her to send them a request for extra boxes. I have had to do this twice so far, I'm 32 weeks along, and each letter was to request the extra strips for the rest of the pregnancy yet my GP only supplied the extra 100strips once. I end up more stressed with worrying about running out of strips than managing my diabetes and baby!
 
Insulin pumps cost a CCG around £3000 to puchase and about £1500 per year for consumables. There is no point in anyone having a pump if it's safety in being used ok is going to be jeopardised by not being able to bg test as and when needed. It just makes it all a waste of money. Admittedly the leading brands of bg teststrips are overpriced and as yet nothing has been done to make the pricing of these strips reduce. Instead, diabetics have been prescribed a cheaper brand and only get to find out when going to a pharmacy to collect a prescription and finding out that not only is there a reduction in the strips but also a different bg meter as well. This should never happen without consulting with a patient first according to the Patients Charter.
 
Vick22 said:
I've had this argument with my GP for years. Managed to get 150 a month, then after the daphne course I attended my DSN got it up to 200 per month. However, now I am pregnant I have to test even more and have to do much more basal rate testing etc I rang up and requested more strips and my GP has refused them! They know I am pregnant too! I have to see my obstetrician and ask her to send them a request for extra boxes. I have had to do this twice so far, I'm 32 weeks along, and each letter was to request the extra strips for the rest of the pregnancy yet my GP only supplied the extra 100strips once. I end up more stressed with worrying about running out of strips than managing my diabetes and baby!
Click to expand...

That's awful @Vick22 It made me angry reading it :mad:

Has you OB actually spelt out the number of strips you need a month and why? Some GPs don't know as much as you'd imagine about diabetes.
 
London36_ said:
Went to collect my test strips today without success and was told by pharmacist (who had been told by GP/receptionist) that I'm 'over using' blood sticks and that's why my prescription was declined. Apparently I must book an appointment to discuss my 'overuse' (but they can't fit me in until Thursday!) Ahhhh anyone would think I'm getting high or getting a kick by making my fingers bleed.

I called GP and said to receptionist that I felt very unsafe and vulnerable by not being able to test and that I'm not booking an appointment to discuss overuse. Feel like I would be bullied? They had, in the last month, received a letter from my pump team explaining I test up to 10 times a day. On their average, since last prescription, I would have been testing 4 times a day. (I did have more already at home though.) overuse?!?! Is this what budget cuts and pressure upon GPs has come to?

As I refused appointment, I called my consultant who was super supportive / horrified and will write again to them. In the meantime, I've had to buy them. £27.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem? Did it get resolved? My consultant said she could only write which has made me worried that they could still refuse me.

Feeling frustrated and sad.
Click to expand...
 
London36_ said:
Went to collect my test strips today without success and was told by pharmacist (who had been told by GP/receptionist) that I'm 'over using' blood sticks and that's why my prescription was declined. Apparently I must book an appointment to discuss my 'overuse' (but they can't fit me in until Thursday!) Ahhhh anyone would think I'm getting high or getting a kick by making my fingers bleed.

I called GP and said to receptionist that I felt very unsafe and vulnerable by not being able to test and that I'm not booking an appointment to discuss overuse. Feel like I would be bullied? They had, in the last month, received a letter from my pump team explaining I test up to 10 times a day. On their average, since last prescription, I would have been testing 4 times a day. (I did have more already at home though.) overuse?!?! Is this what budget cuts and pressure upon GPs has come to?

As I refused appointment, I called my consultant who was super supportive / horrified and will write again to them. In the meantime, I've had to buy them. £27.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem? Did it get resolved? My consultant said she could only write which has made me worried that they could still refuse me.

Feeling frustrated and sad.
Click to expand...
Type 1 Diabetics cost hardly any money to treat because we test are blood and adjust our insulin requirements accordingly to stay alive. We did not do anything to instigate Type 1 Diabetes. If we don't control our sugar levels then complications could set in. You should come and live in Wales I would have got some strips for you.
 
Back
Top