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Got my NHS prescription for Libre!

Hi, can I ask please, who actually makes the decision to approve the sensors? I had an appointment at my local hospital (in Wirral) where I go for 6 monthly check ups, and my DSN there wasn't sure what was happening with the approvals. This was October. As I'm now on a pump, I attend a different hospital and DSN's for this (Chester Countess), but they can only approve the funding for my pump. Trying to get an appointment at my local GP is an art in itself, but do I need to speak to them first or go back to my local hospital DSN? Thanks for any advice, as I'm unsure who to push for answers.
 
asa35 said:
Hi, can I ask please, who actually makes the decision to approve the sensors? I had an appointment at my local hospital (in Wirral) where I go for 6 monthly check ups, and my DSN there wasn't sure what was happening with the approvals. This was October. As I'm now on a pump, I attend a different hospital and DSN's for this (Chester Countess), but they can only approve the funding for my pump. Trying to get an appointment at my local GP is an art in itself, but do I need to speak to them first or go back to my local hospital DSN? Thanks for any advice, as I'm unsure who to push for answers.
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I don't actually know the details but I personally will be looking for approval from my consultant.....just as it was with the pump....the GP is just one of the middle men in my opinion.....

Approving pump finding is different....
 
Copernicus said:
I'm not sure you can use the phone Ap to activate a new sensor, I was under the impression you had to use the Libra reader to activate new sensors and then use the phone Ap
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If using both reader and phone then zap reader first and phone within an hour. If you go over hour will not work. If just phone then just zap.
 
x Carol x said:
Woohoo! So happy. Went to doctors this morning and I showed him my Libre and explained how much it has helped with glucose control and that it is now on the NHS. He said immediately that he is happy to prescribe it for me and he is all for new technology if it helps people. It isn't on the computer system though yet so he said he will do a handwritten script for it which I can pick up on Monday (for some reason they can't do handwritten prescriptions on a Saturday). Wondered has anyone else had success yet?
Click to expand...
 
x Carol x said:
Woohoo! So happy. Went to doctors this morning and I showed him my Libre and explained how much it has helped with glucose control and that it is now on the NHS. He said immediately that he is happy to prescribe it for me and he is all for new technology if it helps people. It isn't on the computer system though yet so he said he will do a handwritten script for it which I can pick up on Monday (for some reason they can't do handwritten prescriptions on a Saturday). Wondered has anyone else had success yet?
Click to expand...
I hope it will work for you. In my case the Libre showed totally false results so I abandoned it. Good luck.
 
Diakat said:
If using both reader and phone then zap reader first and phone within an hour. If you go over hour will not work. If just phone then just zap.
Click to expand...

Just to add another side note, you have to scan with the reader first, then the phone app. If you scan the new sensor with your phone first, the reader won't work with it, as I found out last week.
 
novorapidboi26 said:
I don't actually know the details but I personally will be looking for approval from my consultant.....just as it was with the pump....the GP is just one of the middle men in my opinion.....

Approving pump finding is different....
Click to expand...
A few months back my GP cancelled my prescription for Accucheck Aviva strips saying they were too expensive and put me on the cheapest meter/strips. So I have no chance in hell of getting Libre on prescription. Just in case anybody is interested I am in Harrow, Northwest London. Looks like it's going to be another postcode lottery!
 
Glucobabu said:
A few months back my GP cancelled my prescription for Accucheck Aviva strips saying they were too expensive and put me on the cheapest meter/strips. So I have no chance in hell of getting Libre on prescription. Just in case anybody is interested I am in Harrow, Northwest London. Looks like it's going to be another postcode lottery!
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Well, I think you have as much chance as anyone else I suppose.....

If you're on MDI and testing more than 6 times anyway...

Fingers crossed...
 
OK, live in Northumberland and have just got back from seeing my Doctor about getting this on prescription. The short answer is that my local CCG are still "discussing" the issue but at the moment the answer is no. Will it be available for all type 1 diabetics ? it would appear the answer is again no, only for those who can prove that it is of benefit. My Doctor will put my name forward but does not know when or if the system will be approved. So no real change I'm afraid. .
 
The reason for the sensor is that the reading can be taken many times to improve the levels of sugar in your blood,and save the finger pricking.
 
I got my Perscription last week, thought I'd have trouble with the chemist being able to get hold of the sensors but to my surprise I had them the day after.

Most people consider that the sensors cost £51 each, but what most aren't aware of is that most blood strips cost in excess of the £40 mark which is normally for 50 ( a weeks supply if you do 4 or more tests a day), so the difference between blood strips and the sensors is actually more cost effective to use the libre system
 
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I've got my appointment next week to start on it!

I'm so happy, I took part in 2 medical trials involving the libre at the start of this year and saw fantastic improvements to my quality of life.
All it took was a request to my Consultant at my most recent appointment, so give it a try guys.
I cannot wait!
 
Spookie13 said:
I got my Perscription last week, thought I'd have trouble with the chemist being able to get hold of the sensors but to my surprise I had them the day after.

Most people consider that the sensors cost £51 each, but what most aren't aware of is that most blood strips cost in excess of the £40 mark which is normally for 50 ( a weeks supply if you do 4 or more tests a day), so the difference between blood strips and the sensors is actually more cost effective to use the libre system
Click to expand...
I buy 600 strips for $120 USD free shipping no tax. That's without insurance coverage.
 
Spookie13 said:
I got my Perscription last week, thought I'd have trouble with the chemist being able to get hold of the sensors but to my surprise I had them the day after.

Most people consider that the sensors cost £51 each, but what most aren't aware of is that most blood strips cost in excess of the £40 mark which is normally for 50 ( a weeks supply if you do 4 or more tests a day), so the difference between blood strips and the sensors is actually more cost effective to use the libre system
Click to expand...

The british national formulary prices (so the cost charged to the NHS) of 50 test strips range from £2.33 to £29.98, really the cost of 50 test strip us more around the £12 to £15 region - https://bnf.nice.org.uk/medical-device-type/blood-glucose-testing-strips-2.html What test strips are you using that cost in excess of £40?
 
This is very interesting I will be pursuing with my GP. I live in Wales hopefully this applies here also. Spoke to my Consultant in August who advised more likely to get libre if on a pump which I have been referred for. Type 1 diabetic for 15 years now and it's hard work!!! Thanks everyone for posting I would not have known about this without your messages on here.
 
Let's clear a few things up here.
  1. Consultants cannot approve you going on the Libre - they can only recommend that it might be helpful. As it happens, I don't think there are any consultants that think any other way.
  2. GPs have to write the prescription. This is paid for by the CCG. If the CCG hasn't agreed to fund the Libre, it doesn't matter what the consultant says.
  3. On the NHS, the Libre costs £35 per sensor to the CCG. This is the equivalent to a little over 2 packs of Accucheck Aviva or Ascensia Contour Next test strips, and if you drive, officially at least, you should still be testing using those strips once every two hours, and also for bolusing. As a result, unless you use more than three packs of test strips every two weeks, it's hard for CCGs to give Libre on a cost benefit basis.
 
i have got a gp appointment today to ask if i can have libre sensors on prescription let yous all know how i get on later fingers crossed ;)
 
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