Hello all
No, it's not the start of a joke and it certainly isn't funny. Are there any guidelines on how many test strips can be prescribed to type 1's or is it down to your local CCG/practice?
Hi, Matt J, you are correct, the situation appears to be a bit different in different areas. - i myself have had one lesser problem, and three serious problems. twice happened on moving. - last was few months in, at my new practice. The first two situations resulted in my moving practices. one of these was not resolved (pre 2013), the next was, but left things seriously untenable, despite Hospital letters from my consultant and also DSN, the the last was resolved quickly but stressfully. There is an an advocacy pack to help,
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Reports/access-test-strips-report-0813.pdf - may be more recent stuff now. Above references a 2013 Government guidance letter re Type one and strips, the below ref mentions the postcode lottery -
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Reports/access-test-strips-report-0813.pdf , not sure of the date. In my own experience few GPs in some areas of the uk understand Type one at all, and some practices seem to have become just businesses- one of mine was run from the USA. it was frightening finding this out when i moved areas, as it was unexpected. Hope things sort out - a lot of effort may be needed, just googled my CCG and they do regular guidance re type of strip and prices, allowed in area, and for whom, dont want to go on to see if numbers there, as stressful. next review due mid july here - makes me feel ill, really, as if strip use is some sort of indulgence. In the early 1990s my teaching hospital, when a practice account manager first queried things, wrote sharply that testing had a good chance of prevention of much more expensive care later - the price of one laser treatment was given - no more was heard from the accounts manager . But not sure finance managers are so worried re costs 30 years on now.....