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Cost of Glucose Monitoring strips

N

NickFuggle

Newbie
Does anyone know where I can find out and compare the cost of glucose monitoring strips for the different meters on offer in the UK? We are always being told it is costing the NHS a huge wad to pay for them, but I never see any information telling patients what the differents strips cost the NHS. When it comes to being enticed to change meters, I would like to have that information.
 
As far as I know from chatting to my pharmacist, the teststrips that go in my Freestyle Mini meter are the cheapest to buy. At the chemist you can pay about £20+ for them but direct from Abbott the manufacturer you can get them for £14 I think. Ebay is another good place to shop for teststrips. I have three meters - Freestyle, OneTouch, and Accuchek Compact Plus. The Onetouch and Compact Plus strips I get from Ebay lol.
 
The problem with your question is that it is difficult to find out the wholesale price, all we see is the retail price.

Then you have to factor in the other costs, how much does self testing save the NHS? What are the costs to the NHS of paramedic call outs to diabetics who have problems? How much does their hospital treatment cost? I'm sure that the strips work out to be cost effective in those terms.

As for buying them for yourself, I found google is your friend, go to Google product search and type in the type of strips you need.
 
'mimms' is the catalogue that gives you all the various cost prices, its what the pharmacies use to cost up private prescriptions and purchases etc, not sure if it is avaialble online, but I think they are updated monthly.
 
Active®(Roche Diagnostics)
Reagent strips, for blood glucose monitoring, range 0.6–33.3 mmol/litre, for use with Glucotrend® and Accu-Chek® Active Preparations not available for NHS prescription meters only. Net price 50-strip pack = £14.47

Advantage Plus®(Roche Diagnostics)
Sensor strips, for blood glucose monitoring, range 0.6–33.3 mmol/litre, for use with Accu-Chek® Advantage Preparations not available for NHS prescription meter only. Net price 50-strip pack = £14.47
Ascensia® Autodisc(Bayer Diagnostics)
Sensor discs, for blood glucose monitoring, range 0.6–33.3 mmol/litre, for use with Ascensia Breeze® Preparations not available for NHS prescription and Ascensia Esprit® 2 Preparations not available for NHS prescription meters only. Net price 5 × 10-disc pack = £14.33

Ascensia® Microfill(Bayer Diagnostics)
Sensor strips, for blood glucose monitoring, range 0.6–33.3 mmol/litre, for use with Contour® Preparations not available for NHS prescription meter only. Net price 50-strip pack = £14.45

Aviva®(Roche Diagnostics)
Sensor strips, for blood glucose monitoring, range 0.6–33.3 mmol/litre, for use with Accu-Chek® Aviva Preparations not available for NHS prescription Preparations not available for NHS prescription meter only. Net price 50-strip pack = £14.20

One Touch® Ultra(LifeScan)
Sensor strips, for blood glucose monitoring, range 1.1–33.3 mmol/litre, for use with One Touch® Ultra Preparations not available for NHS prescription meter only. Net price 50-strip pack = £14.24

This is just some of them,if you want to know a specific meter tell me and I will look it up.
 
For what it's worth my Health Centre in Powys gives me a fifty box of Optium Plus strips every month, and I discovered today that the one-box-a-month thing is not inflexible as I ordered (and received) a second box of strips on my "little shop" - once a month I order everything on my repeat prescription list (the "big shop") and then a couple of weeks later I top up the PRN medications (the "little shop")...

Steve
 
Just to let you all know. I read that NICE (Oxymoron) will stop free prescribing of testing equipment for diabetics next year. So if you are receiving free scripts stock up now.

BE HAPPY
 
Hi Everyone

Just new here but thought I would say that I recently received a free Glucomen LX blood glucose monitor and I simply rang my GP and requested the sensor strips and lancets on prescription which he happily did without question. I get both now for £6 instead.

Don't know if that is any help to anyone but it's worth a try.

Arlene
 
Ziggy - if you are a T2 treated with diet & exercise you are not allowed free prescriptions. These are only allowed for those on medication for their diabetes :(

And many GPs (mine included) won't prescribe strips and lancets anyway!

Lynne
 
williams89 said:
Just to let you all know. I read that NICE (Oxymoron) will stop free prescribing of testing equipment for diabetics next year. So if you are receiving free scripts stock up now.

BE HAPPY
Click to expand...

Hi williams, this is no more than I expected, can you provide the source of your info :?:

Regards,
Graham
 
theziggy said:
Arlene, as a diabetic you are entitled to free prescriptions for diabetes related medications and strips etc.

Ziggy
Click to expand...

Hi Ziggy

Apparently I am not entitled to free scripts as I am still diet controlled and not on tablets or insulin

Thanks for that though

Arlene
 
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