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Must I Do As I'm Told ???

Engineer88 said:
Type ones are exempt from standardisation. Weather it be pumps or anything.

Just saying.


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Not true. All 100 Type 1 diabetics at my surgery have had to change. What makes me mad is that there was no consultation with any patients with diabetes. So something that will affect my health on a daily basis has been decided by someone who has no idea what it is like to test 6+ times a day every day for life. I accept that some standardisation is required to save money, but surely some sort of consultation would have been sensible so that all parties can be involved. The meters we have to choose from are definitely inferior and take much more blood to test - it's like going back 6 years. Not user friendly. Just a simple questionnaire would have revealed the points we find important in a meter, and would have helped them to make an informed choice instead of being presented as a fait accompli! Whoops, ranting again, sorry!
 
I went online to order my test strips yesterday only to discover they have been taken off my repeat 'template'. I rang the surgery to ask why they'd been removed only to be told a letter is on its way to me to say I have to change my meter. I am FOAMING. I have to pick up a glucolab meter and the strips will be added to my repeats. I have used an accu check nano for years. It's a super meter that has 'glow in the dark display' which is a God send when testing in the car at night or in the cinema. I'm so angry. I work in a GP surgery and Type 1s are exempt from this change, so I assumed I was safe. I'm going to pick up my new metre on Monday. Type 1 35 years


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If you have a medical need to keep your existing meter, all you have to do is tell them and they will re-instate your existing strips.

Otherwise, it is a rationalisation step and helps to cut costs. There is nothing to say that you have to your choice of meter, only that you should have a meter (I believe)! I can't imagine why all of you are expecting to be exempt from these changes!

You could keep your existing meter and purchase the strips yourself, if you prefer.


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Henry_Sugar said:
thanks Hanadr I will google it :thumbup: I was thinking of giving my GP I letter saying what you stated as a last resort.

Last year I spent Xmas in hospital with ketonitis, I'd picked up a bug & in the end couldn't hold any food down, which in turn meant my blood lvls went haywire :oops: When I got out I was ok for month but then suffered from extreme hypos in the night, rolling on the floor with slurred speech & unable to move properly :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: The worst thing was I wasn't getting ANY signs that a hypo was on it's way, no double vision or pins n needles in my head for example.

Since then I've been on Lantus n have had no hypos but my blood has been (at times) 1.8 - 2.8 n still no hypo signs. So the last thing I need right now is using a blood meter that may well be inferior to my present one.
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Sorry to hijack your list but I have had pins and needles in head - is it a sign that something is wrong? Does anyone know?
 
Picci said:
I went online to order my test strips yesterday only to discover they have been taken off my repeat 'template'. I rang the surgery to ask why they'd been removed only to be told a letter is on its way to me to say I have to change my meter. I am FOAMING. I have to pick up a glucolab meter and the strips will be added to my repeats. I have used an accu check nano for years. It's a super meter that has 'glow in the dark display' which is a God send when testing in the car at night or in the cinema. I'm so angry. I work in a GP surgery and Type 1s are exempt from this change, so I assumed I was safe. I'm going to pick up my new metre on Monday. Type 1 35 years


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Maybe the Nano has been discontinued? There's nothing the surgery could do about that. But maybe they can find you an alternative meter with the night light feature.

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ElyDave said:
10% of NHS spending on diabetes.

What fraction of the £1.3TN debt is that?

What fraction of teh NHS busget is being spent on maintaining a choice of meters, strips, insulin types and pumps for T1? Considering T1 is about 1% of all diabetics, I'd say not much.

I'm quite happy on Levemir and Novarapid - switch me to Lantus I'd probably be less happy as it's characteristics do not match my needs.

Standardisation is OK to a point where it can be justified, but I don't think this is one of those cases.
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£400M annual NHS spend on insulin and home glucose testing combined.

With the most expensive strip being 4x the cost of the cheapest ones there is considerable scope for cost reduction. We advocate those cheaper choices on here for self funding T2s, so why not for the NHS too?

I somehow doubt the pricier manufacturers will abandon the UK market. They will find a way to magically cut their prices.

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Dougal said:
If you have a medical need to keep your existing meter, all you have to do is tell them and they will re-instate your existing strips.

Otherwise, it is a rationalisation step and helps to cut costs. There is nothing to say that you have to your choice of meter, only that you should have a meter (I believe)! I can't imagine why all of you are expecting to be exempt from these changes!

You could keep your existing meter and purchase the strips yourself, if you prefer.


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And silence fills the room . . . .


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How many strips are they meant to supply to a type 1? I am a student and have had diabetes for 14 years but when ever I ring the surgery up they decline giving me more strips I get 100 a month but it's clearly not enough when they want me to test 6-8 times a day. Recently had to go to boots and buy them my self and on top it seems I can't get an appointment with my GP as he is on holiday. It's like they think your going to OD on strips !! Right now am actually having to limit the around of times I check and miss one or two a day :-(


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Spiker said:
Maybe the Nano has been discontinued? There's nothing the surgery could do about that. But maybe they can find you an alternative meter with the night light feature.

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The nano has not been discontinued. The surgery are providing me an inferior meter to save money on strips. I'm type 1, I test 8 to 10times a day ( you have to test before you drive so that increases usage). I have no limit as to how many strips I can order. It would have been nice to have been consulted regarding this change.


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Dougal said:
If you have a medical need to keep your existing meter, all you have to do is tell them and they will re-instate your existing strips.

Otherwise, it is a rationalisation step and helps to cut costs. There is nothing to say that you have to your choice of meter, only that you should have a meter (I believe)! I can't imagine why all of you are expecting to be exempt from these changes!

You could keep your existing meter and purchase the strips yourself, if you prefer.


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At £25 for 50 strips? I'm type 1, I test 8 to 10 times a day. I don't think so. I work in a surgery and all type 1s are exempt from the change, we test much more than type 2s


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Picci said:
At £25 for 50 strips? I'm type 1, I test 8 to 10 times a day. I don't think so. I work in a surgery and all type 1s are exempt from the change, we test much more than type 2s


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Sorry to inform you of this but you are wrong in some cases of type 2 you are treated the same as type 1, I am type 2 and when I go on to basal and bolus I will have access to DAFNE course and have to test at least 5 times a day, spoke to the gp about this and they are happy for me to keep my meter and up my strips, as for changing meters it's down. To the local health board and there guidance. As I am having this problems with my insulin needles. And I want to go back on to my novo twist but gp says I have to stay on the cheap ones that are quite often bent and hurt a lot


Type 2 diagnosed 24/01/2013.
Novomix 30, Victoza, Simvistatin.
 
Picci said:
At £25 for 50 strips? I'm type 1, I test 8 to 10 times a day. I don't think so. I work in a surgery and all type 1s are exempt from the change, we test much more than type 2s


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That is a sweeping statement. I cannot find any reference to this outside forums like this. I can easily say that all cats are black, doesn't make it 100% accurate!


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Dougal said:
That is a sweeping statement. I cannot find any reference to this outside forums like this. I can easily say that all cats are black, doesn't make it 100% accurate!


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I'll re word it. The type 1 diabetics in the surgery I work in are exempt from having to change meters. My colleagues have told me that type 1 s are exempt. Not getting anywhere with this thread.


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