a comprehensive list of pharmacies providing Libre at cost price

Thanks for the info!

I have had some sensors on order with Abbot since 9th February but they are ON HOLD but after reading messages on another forum about them being available from Asda but before going there I went to Sainsburys and there is a Lloyds Pharmacy in the store. I ordered two sensors as they were a lot cheaper than ordering direct from Abbot. I have paid £46.36 each for them, that's with the VAT taken off and they should be delivered to the store in 3-5 days. I went to a smaller Lloyds Pharmacy nearer to me but they hadn't registered with Abbot but would let me know when they had and I would be able to order them from there, presumably at the same price. I didn't have to fill in any forms re theVAT. I had also been to Boots and was quoted a price of £63 and later worked out that they would cost £52.50 with the VAT taken off. Tesco Pharmacy only knew about testing strips etc. and the pharmacist didn't know that anyone buying products specifically for their "disability" like test strips are VAT free when there's plenty of information on the Inland Revenue website about who doesn't have to pay. It will be great to be able to order them locally and not have weeks and weeks to wait for them to be delivered but can pick them up at my leisure!

UPDATE: Even though I have ordered the sensors from Lloyds I went to Asda to see how much they were charging and the sensors are £63 each and they also didn't know anything about diabetics or other "disabled" not having to pay VAT on certain items. It obviously pays to shop around. Re. the information about VAT free items, it's actually the HMRC (Revenue and Customs) not Inland Revenue who deal with this -my mistake!

Gloucestergirl said:

I had also been to Boots and was quoted a price of £63 and later worked out that they would cost £52.50

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You might like to ask again. My Boots initially quoted £35 plus £12.50 "markup". When I eventually bought one (Abbott took 3 weeks), the pharmacist checked the Abbott price and used that, minus VAT of course. My Boots is a small local store so I know them quite well, they have said that I'm their third FS Libre customer, so they will keep a couple in stock. It only takes 24 hrs when they order so no problem there. It's almost as if Abbott want to get rid of their ordering system and just deal in bulk to the likes of Boots, LLoyds etc.

DavidGrahamJones said:

You might like to ask again. My Boots initially quoted £35 plus £12.50 "markup". When I eventually bought one (Abbott took 3 weeks), the pharmacist checked the Abbott price and used that, minus VAT of course. My Boots is a small local store so I know them quite well, they have said that I'm their third FS Libre customer, so they will keep a couple in stock. It only takes 24 hrs when they order so no problem there. It's almost as if Abbott want to get rid of their ordering system and just deal in bulk to the likes of Boots, LLoyds etc.

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My very suspiscious nature wonders how much shifting their immediate supply chain to pharmacies rather than to individual customers would save Abbot in regards to having to replace dud sensors. The first step in the replacement chain would be the pharmact with Abbot 1 step removed - the more steps there are to getting a refund / replacement, the more it puts people off persuing them

ANOTHER UPDATE: I ordered two sensors from Lloyds inside a Sainsburys yesterday morning, had a call this afternoon that they were ready to collect. Boo1979, I believe you are right because of documentation that I found from Abbott to pharmacies was that they were moving over to dealing direct with the and not with retail customers or words to that effect. I suppose it's better to have the sensors delivered to a pharmacy than trying to deliver to private houses in far flung places. You are also probably right about faulty sensors having to be taken to the pharmacies and not sent back to Abbott.

For those of us in Scotland, IPAG has a page which is updated from time time listing a few chemists in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Falkirk selling at various prices, and also reporting on NHS prescription developments in each area:

http://www.ipag.co.uk/abbott-freestyle-libre-prescribing-around-scotland/

Gloucestergirl said:

You are also probably right about faulty sensors having to be taken to the pharmacies and not sent back to Abbott.

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Surely unless you live far out in the sticks, it's always preferable to buy from a shop and then when the thing goes wrong just take it back and dump it on the counter, rather than having to pack it up safely and argue over who pays the return postage.

As regards taking off the VAT, Boots' record is patchy. I was thinking of buying an Accuchek meter from Boots online, but noticed that there was no box for taking off VAT. I then rang the huge Boots in my town but the person on the line had absolutely no idea and told me I must contact HMRC. I do wonder how many innocent newly diagnosed victims have bought meters from Boots and paid VAT unneccesarily. Personally, I just went off the idea of an Accuchek meter and am soldiering on with my TEE2 & Codefree, accepting that the occasional OTT rreading is the price I have to pay for their comparatively reasonable prices.

@Alexandra100 - Boots online do take the VAT off for diabetic supplies, you have to click on the 'Add to Basket' and you get a POP-UP , that asks:

Will you be claiming the VAT back?
Disabled or chronically sick people can claim VAT relief on purchases for personal or domestic use that are applicable to their disability or sickness.

Then fill out the form
(note if you use Kaspersky, you may need to pause protection if you use Firefox browser as it blocks some actions Boots use)

DavidGrahamJones said:

You might like to ask again. My Boots initially quoted £35 plus £12.50 "markup". When I eventually bought one (Abbott took 3 weeks), the pharmacist checked the Abbott price and used that, minus VAT of course. My Boots is a small local store so I know them quite well, they have said that I'm their third FS Libre customer, so they will keep a couple in stock. It only takes 24 hrs when they order so no problem there. It's almost as if Abbott want to get rid of their ordering system and just deal in bulk to the likes of Boots, LLoyds etc.

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all boots have been sent a letter by their head office and must not charge £63. The boots price demanded by their head office iss £48.29 or 29 . Lloyds have the same but it is £44 and super drug with a pharmacy £35. If they are charging more they need to phone thheir head office who will talk them through how yo order if not Boots instruct you to report them TH HO

Gloucestergirl said:

ANOTHER UPDATE: I ordered two sensors from Lloyds inside a Sainsburys yesterday morning, had a call this afternoon that they were ready to collect. Boo1979, I believe you are right because of documentation that I found from Abbott to pharmacies was that they were moving over to dealing direct with the and not with retail customers or words to that effect. I suppose it's better to have the sensors delivered to a pharmacy than trying to deliver to private houses in far flung places. You are also probably right about faulty sensors having to be taken to the pharmacies and not sent back to Abbott.

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they have to be returned to abbott. Chemists don't do this. As abbot has to study them

ronialive said:

super drug with a pharmacy £35.

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Pleased to say that the High Wycombe branch are charging £35 as well (just in case there were some rogue branches). Hopefully their pricing policy won't change.

Our local Lloyds is charging full retail price, the same that Abbott charges. I did point out that Superdrug is selling them at cost. The reply was "we do have to make a profit"

Bluetit1802 said:

The reply was "we do have to make a profit"

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And 25% (25.7143% to be more accurate) is a fair profit, cheeky ratbags.

Hi All,

I am having a nightmare trying to source libre sensors. I called boots in Aberdeen who say the product is not licenced and have been told by the diabetic specialist nurse team in Grampian that they are not trained in this system and cannot help!!!! Totally frustrated. I had to order the sensors from the manufacturer in the end.
I have type 1 diabetes that has now caused renal failure. You would think that prevention was the best way forward.

nightingale pharmacy in deptford high street can supply but you must speak with Shika on
‭020 8691 8639‬ .
‭