Blood Glucose Test Strips Refused by GP

Just been for my Blood results today and thankfully things fine.
I was told by the practice nurse Do you know you don't need to test BG if youre only on Metformin?
and that the latest thinking was that its been decided testing isn't needed. Stand by for a refusal of test strips !!!

Of course there was no mention of the a decision made due to cost implications ( there wouldn't be would there?) As ive been testing reasonably regularly since I was diagnosed and always had the reassurence that i could test if i was feeling unwell. Strange how the best advice can be turned around due to a cost implication.

I live on the Blackburn Lancashire Area so i'm guessing this is going to pan out with other Health Centres in the areas

Has anyone actually contaced their own MP directly about this issue?Some of the younger GP's in my practice are convinced that there is no need for T3s o test but as yet, I have not heard of the policy being changed. Alhough I have never had any cap imposed on the number I request I confine myself to one box of 50 per month and buy my own the rest of the time so as not to jeopardise future prescriptions for myself and others.
Pharmacists in the area are horrified when I purchase hem and urge me o ask ny Drs for more as many are "picking up several boxes a week on prescription"

When and if , there is a ban or a lmitation there will be an uproar. My pracice is rural but the constituency includes large densely populated areas with many voters who have diabetes {according o he hospital} I am biding my time o contac the MP .

The contact details for every Member of both Houses (Lords and Commons) are on the offical website which is www.parliament.uk. Great fun!

Viv 8)

aka 'Disgusted of Wensleydale' :lol:

I feel that by testing at least 2 times a day I can keep on top of what is happening with my blood sugar levels. This matters a lot to me (and I suspect everyone else on here) as we are always being preached to by doctors/nurses/dieticians to try and keep ourselves as healthy as possible. By testing regularly, even though I am Type 2, not on insulin but on 9 tablets daily, my blood sugar levels. Hbaic, etc have all reduced drastically.

I thoroughly disagree with the "you should only check your blood once every 6 months at the clinic" stance. This is utter idiocy and in my opinion will lead to a higher dependency on medication rather than a lowering.

As a result of my persistence in fighting for lancets and test strips and with testing myself, I have managed to bring my levels down to an acceptable level and would like to keep them there - or even lower to an ideal level. Due to this my doctor has in his infinite wisdom decided that I no longer need or will get, lancets and test strips because I have done so well!! This leaves me two choices - wait the obligatory 6 months to be tested or pay for test strips and lancets. I am on a low wage, receive free prescriptions but will still have to pay if I want to prevent my diabetes from deteriorating.

It seems that many surgeries are being squeezed money-wise and the denial of (in my opinion preventative) medicinal equipment is a normal occurance. This is unacceptable and the powers that be should be ashamed of themselves.

Unimpressed :evil:

Complaining at my doctors (Doncaster PCT) has caused my full quota of test strips being reinstated.
Pointing out that potentially driving in hypo territory would be dangerous and given I was on Glic that was always a possibilty... seemed to do the trick.

regards,
David

Well done, Smeatons!

Viv 8)

I have just read through the posts about test strips and I'm shocked. Clearly there is a policy in the NHS affecting type 2 diabetics to their detriment. In Scotland there seems to be a different policy.
I have been type 2 for over 10 years and have been prescribed test strips and lancets all that time without any problems. Yesterday I visited my healthcare team to be put on to Insulin and was supplied with a new testing meter, plus a spare one in case the battery ran out, with no question of a charge or supplying my own strips. Certainly in the Fife NHS area and my local doctors practice I cannot fault the support I get.

:lol: OH NO !!! viviennem has found me out. The link you posted to Parliament.uk, shows all members commons and lords. Well done viviennem ( check out the lords section carefully ) :wink: :wink:

It seems it really depends on what area of the country you live in as to whether you may take control of your blood glucose levels or, if you have to depend on the good old nhs to keep you right. Personally I know who I would trust and it is definitely not the nhs up here in Scotland. Don't get me wrong, a lot of good has been done and is being done by the nhs but....and this is a big but, people want to be able to look after themselves. They want to be as well as possible. Who in their right mind wants to be spending anymore time in clinics or hospitals than they need to be?

Preventative is so much better and cheaper in the long run in my opinion. It is a shame that the powers that be are so short sighted and cannot see the wood for the trees!!!

As a fifer whiskymac I am the same and so far think we are very lucky. especially when poor old nhs fife is meant to skint.

The counties are not the same as the PCTs so it is the PCTs that need to be listed as each county contains several PCTs and they will differ.
I'm in east lancs PCT and get what I need in terms of strips and needles and I am diet controlled - I couldn't keep track of what is /is not effective if I didn't have them.

I would like to mention that my nurse practioner has put my lancets and strips on a repeat prescription, she just did it !! How long this will last I don't know. I am under Wyre health authority on the Fylde coast, North West, Lancs.
Still don't understand why other T2's don't get them, If it was just money, none of us would get them. I for one could not afford to test as I do If I had to buy them.

I was diagnosed 2 years ago and have been getting test strips from my GP ever since without any problem. But when I saw a DN at another surgery just a few minutes away she tried to tell me that I shouldn't be getting them at all as T2's do not need to check. She also tried to tell me how to take my Metformin which was completely different to what my GP told me. So looks like each surgery/practice seems to have their own rules, luckily I happened to pick the right one.

I am in fife also but my friend has been refused ia meter or test strips my hubby is type. 2 also but it's not a problem for test strips as I am type 1 on insulin and get all I need for both of us

Agnes