Libre on NHS

slip

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I have tried but the contour next one test strips are apparently too expensive. They gave me the True You test meters and strips but I found it to be very unsatisfactory. My blood sugars were 85% out of range but using the next one they are now 95% within range.

Not to frighten you but your GP, foot amputations and follow up rehab etc is even more expensive for them......

As an Insulin user you should not be restricted with any medical requirements you may have, not having looked up the true you meter but I'm pretty sure it is designed and geared towards non-insulin dependant people with diabetes - it's accuracy for bolusing would be very questionable, and your own evidence above would indicate that.
 

tim2000s

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Tim, do you think there is any possibility that those of us who'd prefer to use Dexcom (for whatever reason, whether that is for the alarms, due to adhesive reaction etc.) might be able to receive a partial contribution toward Dexcom costs equal to how much the NHS would otherwise spend on a Libre prescription? Is there any evidence of a contribution of this type having been made available in any other situations?
I'm going to have that conversation with my GP about putting the case together to take to the CCG. I'd previously looked at it for replacing test strips, but with an actual libre cost on the database, it becomes much easier.

The libre cost to the NHS is £35 per sensor so I reckon that's 16 Dexcom sensors per year, which for me would be just about all I'd need.
 

Brit90

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Anyone who is told they are border line Diabetic or are Diabetic should get these. So much better than stabbing yourself multiple times a day. On average I do about 8 readings a day, which is a lot more than I would do if I was pricking my finger still.
I've been on the patches for 6 months or so, worth every penny. Now they are going to be on NHS I won't have to dig so deep in my monthly wage. Thankfully. Please to see some more taxes are being spent on us.
 

Eldorado

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I've just seen the news about the Freestyle Libre. Despite some of the negative comments here I can't help but think it's too good to be true! Fingers crossed that I will be able to have one. I can't wait to try it out. I know one person who has been using it and she says it's absolutely brilliant. Even if it's just an end to the endless finger pricking it'll be wonderful. Funny, but this morning as I was pricking my finger for the umpteenth time, I started thinking maybe I should buy the Libre.
 
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MWilson

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Hi all. I have used the Libre constantly for almost a year now. The Libre has its great points and for me has assisted in aiding control however it is not a magic wand. As a constant user and using the 640G pump I still have to test normally during the day. The Libre is great for trends however for tighter control will help to trend high numbers or low numbers but work still needs to done. The DVLA still require a finger prick and I would never recommend changing bolus and basal from it however it can help you spot the trends when you should be testing more to establish better control. All in all a fantastic tool but it does not solve all issues. As I have been using for some time and recording the differences between finger and Libre happy to answer any questions anyone may have. Regards M

Sent from my SM-G955F using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 
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slip

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What do people think would be the best way of getting sensors on the NHS come November? via your Diabetes clinic getting the consultant to write to your GP requesting/stipulating a clinic need for it, or simply ask your GP if they can prescribe it (just because you want to try it) - what do people think will be the clinic criteria?
 

Diakat

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What do people think would be the best way of getting sensors on the NHS come November? via your Diabetes clinic getting the consultant to write to your GP requesting/stipulating a clinic need for it, or simply ask your GP if they can prescribe it (just because you want to try it) - what do people think will be the clinic criteria?
I don't think anyone knows.
They said "those who would benefit" not sure how they define that. This is going to be murky for a while I think.
 

Diakat

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Surely every diabetic would benefit.........................?
Well, personally I would benefit from DAFNE - refused as I am "too well controlled", possibly a pump which DSN keeps mentioning but consultant says "not yet", so chances of a Libre???
 

tim2000s

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I don't think anyone knows.
They said "those who would benefit" not sure how they define that. This is going to be murky for a while I think.
This is where the devil is in the detail. The criteria for acceptance is dependent on each local health authority or CCG. This means that each of them sets their own.

I've spoken to the team at Guy's and St Thomas' in London and they have pre-emptively put together a pathway for the South East London formulary, which is what makes these prescribable for this region's CCGs. The CCGs then adhere to the guidance. They've been struggling to make put in place something that allows access for those who use very little SMBG (for whom it could be life changing), as well as those who would obviously benefit, without excluding those who pay for it themselves and therefore don't appear to need it paying for based on clinical results.

They have to be very careful, in the absence of a NICE guideline, if they want to make it available to as many as possible. Fortunately, they are trying to do that in this case. The final piece of information they needed for submission to the committee was sensor cost, which has been stated as £35, so they can now take it the last step. We'll have to wait and see.
 

noblehead

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Excellent news but fear it will be a Postcode Lottery as @pinewood mentions earlier.

Hopefully the buying power of the NHS will help bring down the price of the sensors down for those who don't qualify.
 
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slip

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Hopefully the buying power of the NHS will help bring down the price of the sensors down for those who don't qualify.
Not sure that will happen - if the NHS are tight with giving them out not a lot changes for Abbot - except they don't have to give them out FOC for trial, if the NHS supply to most existing abbot customers then they'll be loosing a certain margin of profit, & unlikely to recoup that loss from new NHS customers unless the NHS goes all out Libre! We live in hope!
 
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Ann1982

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Not to frighten you but your GP, foot amputations and follow up rehab etc is even more expensive for them......

As an Insulin user you should not be restricted with any medical requirements you may have, not having looked up the true you meter but I'm pretty sure it is designed and geared towards non-insulin dependant people with diabetes - it's accuracy for bolusing would be very questionable, and your own evidence above would indicate that.
Totally agree. The contour next one is really a great meter for me but not perhaps for everyone.
 

novorapidboi26

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Well, personally I would benefit from DAFNE - refused as I am "too well controlled", possibly a pump which DSN keeps mentioning but consultant says "not yet", so chances of a Libre???

Too well controlled, thats madness....

I take it you already know your stuff if your control is good...
 

donnellysdogs

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The NHS does not have buying power as such now.

Its down to every CCG to buy as they think and to set their own budgets to purchase etc.. its not a National Health Service... its a postcode lottery depending upon which CCG you live in, not even the hospital that you go to.
 

noblehead

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Not sure that will happen - if the NHS are tight with giving them out not a lot changes for Abbot - except they don't have to give them out FOC for trial, if the NHS supply to most existing abbot customers then they'll be loosing a certain margin of profit, & unlikely to recoup that loss from new NHS customers unless the NHS goes all out Libre! We live in hope!

Not being cynical but I'd imagine Abbott will ensure that their profits margins won't be slashed by too much @slip , the recent announcement will be like all their Christmas's have come at once.
 

Scott-C

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The amount of detail published online by each NHS area formulary seems to vary, but for those keen on watching how this story pans out in their locality, it's maybe worth googling to try to find the webpage for their area formulary - they're the guys who tell GPs and hospitals in their area whether it's ok to prescribe it.

For example, when Fiasp came out, I searched for it in the NHS Lothian Joint Formulary site, got a pdf with stuff about local implementation plans being developed etc. The pdf covered the approach to every other insulin too. But looking at other areas came up with nada.

Don't know enough about NHS mechanisms to say whether there will be info published ahead of a libre decision but I'll probably have a wee look now and then out of curiosity.
 

O_DP_T1

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Been using this daily for about 18m now, it's become a way of life, I do the occasional blood tests when the readings on the Libre don't match how I'm feeling or if I'm driving etc etc. Soooo the big question is how does one qualify to get this on the NHS? This has been a life changer for me but it hasn't come without other financial sacrifices.