Diabetes care in the UK

tigger · Feb 22, 2018

The best things you can do is educate yourself so you can get the best out the system. The system is good but does vary with what we call the postcode lottery. This means where you live and the hospital you go to affect what you can be prescribed particularly with pumps. I'd recommend having a look at the input website which gives information as to which hospitals give pumps and to whom. Cgms are a lot more difficult but libres are cheaper and better here than in the US. They have a 14 day life span and 1 hr start up instead of 12 and cost £44 with the vat discount. Plus you can run them off some phones.

Rogerclinton · Feb 23, 2018

Grant_Vicat said:
Hi, as somebody who had Type 1 for 54 years I must have cost the taxpayer a fortune as I had supplies of syringes, needles, cotton wool, surgical spirit, industrial meths, Lente, Actrapid and Monotard insulins, testing strips (200 a month) lancets, and a battery of different tablets for hypertension, phosphate binders, and any medication including paracetamol (!) for resultant and even unrelated problems. After my pancreas transplant in 2013, for 6 months I was on an anti-viral drug that cost, at the time, £1200 a month. In the last 4 years I have been on a prepayment prescription that saves me having to spend at least £42 per month for immunosuppresants and other necessary drugs. I am well aware of how fortunate I am to live in England. Not only has this marvellous but overstretched and underfunded system kept me alive for nearly 60 years, but has done so without the fear of my bancruptcy. I would not support a government that is trying to imitate the American health service. That would be suicidal!

Rogerclinton · Feb 23, 2018

I live in British Columbia, Canada. We get very little help from our government. You Brits are so lucky with good medical service, good mail service, and out standing train service. I live in a great country and I am not compainings and consider my self lucky to live in Canada. We do not pay to see a doctor and there is no charge if you have to go to the hostital. I,m just lucky I don't live in the US where there is no help.

db89 · Feb 23, 2018

Rogerclinton said:
out standing train service.

Outstandingly expensive, perhaps, but I think you're talking about Germany if you're referencing performance of the railways.

aseret · Feb 23, 2018

BobSalviac said:
Hello

I am an American living fullftime in France. My French National Health care covers all of my diabetes care costs. I use a pump and a continuous glucose meter. I pay for this insurance but the cost is small and covers everything. It would be impossible to return to the US and the impossible insurance there.

Good luck.

Bob

Hi Bob, I am a UK national, living full time in France, i think very near you...... same village if i am not mistaken!

I am type 2 , diagnosed about 6 years ago and cant get test meter or strips paid for so in the beginning i did buy a meter in England and can get the strips over the counter here but they are quite expensive. All my medication is covered 100% on all stuff 'diabetes related' by the French health system but i am not sure if that is available to you, I am registered self employed here so am entitled to full health benefits under their system. I am fortunate and having lost some weight, i have managed to get my BG levels down and my medication has now been stopped. I have regular check-ups (all free) and have been told that i can control this by diet. I think its very different for Type 1's, but the French system is very very good, if you can cope with the language barrier.

Lazell123 · Feb 23, 2018

Triciasquisha said:
Hello. I’m a type 1 diabetic in Santa Barbara, CA and I was wondering about how pleased other diabetics are with the care of their illness in the UK. I find that, even though I have insurance through my work, I struggle with the expense of diabetes care here. I previously had been on an insulin pump and my endocrinologist has recently tried me on a continuous glucose monitor. Both had been successful in managing my blood sugars well but both have become too expensive, even with insurance. I was just curious if any diabetics in the UK have had success with these devices and if these devices are easily accessible with the healthcare system there. Thank you in advance for your input![/QU
Hello. I think the British NHS is something very special, and I get cross when I hear people complaining about it. I think we are the only country in the world who don't pay for their medical treatment. I've been type 1 for 56 years, so I've really had my money's worth. Apart from all my diabetic care and medication over all these many years, I've had one child, had major surgery on my spine, had a ruptured appendix, and 2 years ago I had open heart surgery, Imagine how much money this would have cost my parents (when I was a child growing up with type 1) and myself. I'm pretty sure we would never have been able to pay for all this, and I probably would have died a long time ago. A VERY BIG THANK YOU TO OUR NHS.

lucylocket61 · Feb 23, 2018

Remember that we pay higher taxes (including hidden taxes, VAT and National Insurance) than some other countries.

jcbman · Feb 23, 2018

membrew said:
I am 79 and live in West Yorkshire, England, have type 2 and cannot have prescription for lancets and test strips even though I am required to test frequently.
Not amused. Membrew

Why are you required to test?

Alexandra100 · Feb 23, 2018

aseret said:
have been told that i can control this by diet.

Out of curiosity, what is the dietary advice? Low carb or Mediterranean diet / Eatwell plate? I have the impression that it's the latter.

Alexandra100 · Feb 23, 2018

lucylocket61 said:
Remember that we pay higher taxes (including hidden taxes, VAT and National Insurance) than some other countries.

The French pay higher taxes than us.

LouWilk059 · Feb 23, 2018

membrew said:
I am 79 and live in West Yorkshire, England, have type 2 and cannot have prescription for lancets and test strips even though I am required to test frequently.
Not amused. Membrew

I'm type 2 no meds, in Canada. I pay for my lancets and test strips (about $80 for 100 test strips/about $45 British pound I believe)

lucylocket61 · Feb 23, 2018

Alexandra100 said:
The French pay higher taxes than us.

I said 'some'

jcbman · Feb 23, 2018

lucylocket61 said:
I said 'some'

Who?
Or are we just knocking the UK because it's good to?

lucylocket61 · Feb 23, 2018

jcbman said:
Who?
Or are we just knocking the UK because it's good to?

what are you on about? I made a factual statement. Where does knocking the uk come into this??????

jcbman · Feb 23, 2018

lucylocket61 said:
Remember that we pay higher taxes (including hidden taxes, VAT and National Insurance) than some other countries.

Who then buddy?
Who gets the cheaper life?
Names and numbers ?

Mike d · Feb 23, 2018

@jcbmanThe statement was qualified. Good enough for me.

Edited by a Mod

DCUKMod · Feb 23, 2018

jcbman said:
Who then buddy?
Who gets the cheaper life?
Names and numbers ?

Please pay nicely, jcbman. Please consider how people interpret your posts.

jcbman · Feb 24, 2018

Just asking where the grass is greener, 'cos I reckon 'qualified' we pay a lot less taxes in the UK.
And I've driven over a lot of the EU.
Sorry if it upsets anyone, but I'd still like to play nicely, can't see how asking for numbers isn't team GB, but you're the boss on here.

purplesally · Feb 26, 2018

Triciasquisha said:
Hello. I’m a type 1 diabetic in Santa Barbara, CA and I was wondering about how pleased other diabetics are with the care of their illness in the UK. I find that, even though I have insurance through my work, I struggle with the expense of diabetes care here. I previously had been on an insulin pump and my endocrinologist has recently tried me on a continuous glucose monitor. Both had been successful in managing my blood sugars well but both have become too expensive, even with insurance. I was just curious if any diabetics in the UK have had success with these devices and if these devices are easily accessible with the healthcare system there. Thank you in advance for your input!

The thought of not having free health care terrifies me. Since diagnosis I have had to cut my hours considerably and just managing the day to day bills. I paid my prescriptions for the first month and even though I wasn't paying full price for each drug it cost almost £100, that's free now. I didn't have to pay for any of my technology I was provided with that while in hospital. Again my hospital stay (8 days) was also free. For the first 2 months I had daily access to my diabetic team including 2 consultant visits and an eye specialist. In the last 2 weeks I have had 2 preventative treatments ( flu & pneumonia jabs) and a review with full blood tests, again free. Boy am I glad I have the NHS

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