NHS considers cheaper alternatives to blood glucose testing strips, needles and insulin pens

[DCUK NewsBot]

NHS officials are reportedly considering proposing that GPs prescribe cheaper alternatives of blood glucose testing strips, needles and pens. The recommendation is part of a crackdown by NHS England on certain treatments, in a bid to save up to £68m a year. For people with diabetes the report is significant because many people with diabetes rely on blood glucose testing strips, and needles and pens are regularly used day-to-day times among those who use insulin injections. It should be stated that the reported proposal is not to scrap these items, rather to find "more cost-effective products". We are currently awaiting information on which alternatives are being considered, when this proposal will be discussed in further detail and how much the move may affect either or both people with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Simon Stevens, NHS England's chief executive, said: "The NHS is one of the most efficient health services in the world but, as part of the long-term plan for the NHS, we're determined to make taxpayers' money go further and drive savings back into frontline care." NHS England also plans to no longer prescribe silk nightwear and gloves for people with eczema and dermatitis, due to a lack of evidence of their effectiveness, and will restrict access to gluten-free foods such as pizzas for people with celiac disease. Additionally, four drugs will no longer be prescribed: Aliskiren - used to treat blood pressure, Amiodarone - to treat abnormal heart rhythms, Dronedarone - to treat the heart condition atrial fibrillation, and Minocycline - to treat acne. Many pharmacies have already begun phasing out some of these items, including gluten-free bread and other products. Diabetes.co.uk will be keeping track of the developments regarding this story and report any further information as soon as it becomes available.

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[kitedoc]

Went in financial trouble, bring in the generic brands. I am all for cost-savings as long as they are sensible ones.
Generic medications and devices are all very well but they are cheap for a reason. If they perform well in comparison with more expensive brands well and good. The problem is when they do not.
In Australia pharmacists are obliged to dispense the least expensive brand of medication to the patient unless the doctor specifically prescribes a particular, more expensive brand. Why do doctors do this sometimes?
What my doctor said was because even though generics will be granted access onto the prescribing lists generics if their manufacturers show evidence of equivalent absorption, effect, timing of effects as the more expensive brands, in practice this is not always the case.
Patient can suffer when the switch to a generic brand of medication fails to achieve the same effect or causes unacceptable side-effects. Some of the cause of these problems is put down not to the drug component of the medication itself but to the 'excipients' or fillers used to hold the tablet together which may differ in the generic tablet from the expensive brand.
And if you have severe lactose intolerance you really do not wish to forced to be taking a generic tablet which has lactose in it.
That is my 10 cents worth plus Aussie GST !!!

 

[stevenson40]

Blood glucose testing meters do different things like calculating insulin needed with carbohydrate counting. Will the costcutting effect the choice of meter available?

 

[Robinredbreast]

NHS officials are reportedly considering proposing that GPs prescribe cheaper alternatives of blood glucose testing strips, needles and pens. The recommendation is part of a crackdown by NHS England on certain treatments, in a bid to save up to £68m a year. For people with diabetes the report is significant because many people with diabetes rely on blood glucose testing strips, and needles and pens are regularly used day-to-day times among those who use insulin injections. It should be stated that the reported proposal is not to scrap these items, rather to find "more cost-effective products". We are currently awaiting information on which alternatives are being considered, when this proposal will be discussed in further detail and how much the move may affect either or both people with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Simon Stevens, NHS England's chief executive, said: "The NHS is one of the most efficient health services in the world but, as part of the long-term plan for the NHS, we're determined to make taxpayers' money go further and drive savings back into frontline care." NHS England also plans to no longer prescribe silk nightwear and gloves for people with eczema and dermatitis, due to a lack of evidence of their effectiveness, and will restrict access to gluten-free foods such as pizzas for people with celiac disease. Additionally, four drugs will no longer be prescribed: Aliskiren - used to treat blood pressure, Amiodarone - to treat abnormal heart rhythms, Dronedarone - to treat the heart condition atrial fibrillation, and Minocycline - to treat acne. Many pharmacies have already begun phasing out some of these items, including gluten-free bread and other products. Diabetes.co.uk will be keeping track of the developments regarding this story and report any further information as soon as it becomes available.

Continue reading...

I am Coeliac and I have never had a prescription for pizza, ever, I didn't know it was available, but i'm sure that would just be the base or the flourless product to make it !! If they scrap all the gluten free products, then so be it, even though a very small loaf from a supermarket can cost up to around £3.25.