Retired police officer disappointed after being denied FreeStyle Libre

[DCUK NewsBot]

A retired police officer with type 1 diabetes has spoken out after being denied use of the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring device. As of November, use of the FreeStyle Libre technology will be available to people with type 1 diabetes on the NHS. However, its availability will not be guaranteed for all patients and it is likely there will be a postcode lottery situation. Some clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be able to provide the Libre system to more patients than CCGs in other parts of the country. Andrew Mills was "full of hope" after learning that the NHS Business Services Authority had approved the FreeStyle Libre on the Drug Tariff. This means it is available on the NHS subject to local approval. Andrew has been paying £57 out of his own pocket for each sensor. The sensors last for two weeks which represents a yearly cost of over £1,400. However, Andrew has been denied the opportunity to have the sensors prescribed on the NHS by his CCG. Northumberland CCG responded that they will only be funding the FreeStyle Libre for certain groups of patients at the current time, including pregnant women at risk of severe hypoglycemia and people with type 1 diabetes experiencing dangerously erratic blood sugar levels. Andrew is dismayed that such a life-benefitting system has been denied. He voiced his disappointment to ChronicleLive: "As well as avoiding fingerpricking, it gives you much better information about whether your levels are going up or down, and having better control over blood glucose levels will lead to far less expensive future complications." NHS Northumberland CCG's clinical chair Dr Alistair Blair states that it won't fund the FreeStyle Libre until more evidence is available that the Libre is effective in wider patient groups: "We are continuing to review this system to see whether there are more groups of patients who may benefit significantly from the system." It is disappointing that Northumberland CCG is choosing to only fund the use of the Libre for very specific groups. Andrew's experience will likely be shared by many people over the coming weeks as CCGs in other areas of the country make decisions that will affect the lives of thousands of people with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes.co.uk hopes that other CCGs will be more visionary and will allow more patients to make use of the new technology. If more patient groups are given the chance to use the Libre, then more evidence of effectiveness will therefore be available.

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[Omnipod]

A retired police officer with type 1 diabetes has spoken out after being denied use of the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring device. As of November, use of the FreeStyle Libre technology will be available to people with type 1 diabetes on the NHS. However, its availability will not be guaranteed for all patients and it is likely there will be a postcode lottery situation. Some clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be able to provide the Libre system to more patients than CCGs in other parts of the country. Andrew Mills was "full of hope" after learning that the NHS Business Services Authority had approved the FreeStyle Libre on the Drug Tariff. This means it is available on the NHS subject to local approval. Andrew has been paying £57 out of his own pocket for each sensor. The sensors last for two weeks which represents a yearly cost of over £1,400. However, Andrew has been denied the opportunity to have the sensors prescribed on the NHS by his CCG. Northumberland CCG responded that they will only be funding the FreeStyle Libre for certain groups of patients at the current time, including pregnant women at risk of severe hypoglycemia and people with type 1 diabetes experiencing dangerously erratic blood sugar levels. Andrew is dismayed that such a life-benefitting system has been denied. He voiced his disappointment to ChronicleLive: "As well as avoiding fingerpricking, it gives you much better information about whether your levels are going up or down, and having better control over blood glucose levels will lead to far less expensive future complications." NHS Northumberland CCG's clinical chair Dr Alistair Blair states that it won't fund the FreeStyle Libre until more evidence is available that the Libre is effective in wider patient groups: "We are continuing to review this system to see whether there are more groups of patients who may benefit significantly from the system." It is disappointing that Northumberland CCG is choosing to only fund the use of the Libre for very specific groups. Andrew's experience will likely be shared by many people over the coming weeks as CCGs in other areas of the country make decisions that will affect the lives of thousands of people with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes.co.uk hopes that other CCGs will be more visionary and will allow more patients to make use of the new technology. If more patient groups are given the chance to use the Libre, then more evidence of effectiveness will therefore be available.

Continue reading...

How much more evidence do they require as to how effective this treatment is?

There are literally thousands of reports stating how this has changed peoples lives. Almost every person using this device has seen a drop in hba1c. Surely that alone equates to a huge reduction in cost that would save the NHS millions every year?
One would think the ccg’s and clinical chairs like this Alistair Blair would be forward thinking enough to approve the device.

We pay thousands of pounds every year to the NHS and without us, the likes of clinical chairs would have no job.
It’s about time they start taking diabetes care more serious and start thinking how we feel and how hard it is to maintain a decent blood sugar level by having to finger prick.

I would suggest every type 1 diabetic start writing to their local MP so that we can get the drug tariff approved on prescription by our local gp’s

 

[Carb_Junky]

The fact that a patient who was refused a treatment happened to be a retired police officer is irrelevant. His former profession had no bearing on the decision and to include it in the headline can only be inflammatory.

 

[Peter A Jones]

Shropshire CCG have just told me they wont be funding the Libre sensors either.
Not easy when on a pension, but its so valuable for my control that I'll just have to carry on stumping up myself !

 

[JTL]

What on earth does being an ex copper have to do with it?

 

[Deleted member 308541]

What on earth does being an ex copper have to do with it?

Getting a bit of public outrage going over it most probably.

 

[Robbity]

Well, he's getting the wriong kind of outrage from me, as I for one definitelty don't believe a retired person's previous occupation entitles them to preferetial treatment.

Poor little old me is on a far smaller pension than a retired police officer, and I know that I have not hope in hell ( particularly as a not so vitally in need of them T2 as T1s may be ) of getting my sensors on the NHS however disappointed I might be or how much I might be benefiiting from their use...

Robbity
(Slightly tongue in cheek, but ****** off nontheless)

 

[Alvan_Chevure_]

Brother stop complaining and keep applying,You will get it. And what's this retired police officer business about. You are just another human being. Don't seek preferential treatment bro.thats when you start having problems.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Brother stop complaining and keep applying,You will get it. And what's this retired police officer business about. You are just another human being. Don't seek preferential treatment bro.thats when you start having problems.

When hell freezes over and all pigs can fly, Type 2 diabetics may be put at the very bottom of the waiting list for a Libre sensor. Until then, not a chance. We even have to pay for our own glucose meters and strips.