Freestyle Libre Prescription

[monkeymutha]

Hi,

I have asked for a referral to the hospital to be assessed for a freestyle libre on NHS prescription. My Job I work outside and temperature means my normal prick meter doesn’t work always. Also I run long distances like 10 miles and I need a way to measure my glucose levels when out. Is this enough reason for them to refer me? I also don’t get low glucose symptoms until my levels are about 4.0.

any help

regards

 

[EllieM]

Anecdotally, appears to vary very much by consultant and region. (NHS claim to plan to fund 20% of T1s, so how to get that funding?)

National-arrangements-for-funding-of-relevant-diabetes-patients-June-2020-Updated-final.pdf (england.nhs.uk)

Above is the most recent document I could find on eligibility, look at annex A.

Think hard about outing yourself as having impaired hypo awareness (not sure I've ever had hypo symptoms when higher than 4 so am not convinced you're impaired) as if you lose hypo awareness then you lose your driving license...

Hopefully someone who actually lives in the UK and has recent experience will comment.

Definitely worth asking, I suspect your work conditions may be the best bet.... If you don't ask, you don't get

 

[TypeZero.]

Hi,

I have asked for a referral to the hospital to be assessed for a freestyle libre on NHS prescription. My Job I work outside and temperature means my normal prick meter doesn’t work always. Also I run long distances like 10 miles and I need a way to measure my glucose levels when out. Is this enough reason for them to refer me? I also don’t get low glucose symptoms until my levels are about 4.0.

any help

regards

You need to really talk it up with your consultant as it really depends on the area you are in.

I used to live in London and my consultant said it’s nearly impossible to get it unless you are pregnant (I’m a male so...) or a child.

I then moved to Hertfordshire and getting the Libre was very quick, took only 1 month to be granted, they made me fill a survey based on the stress diabetes is causing and based on the score they immediately granted my application.

So it really does matter about the location you are from. Best point of call is your consultant

 

[kaylz91]

My Job I work outside and temperature means my normal prick meter doesn’t work always.

the sensors become too cold and wont always provide a value either

 

[In Response]

Take care with relying on the Libre when running.
As it is 15 minutes behind "real life", it could pick up on a hypo when blood sugars are falling fast such as during exerise.

 

[Technician87]

I had to test 8 times a day as a minimum for 90 days and keep it in the green!! I need to test like this for my job so found it easy enough to accomplish because I had too. Having the libre now just makes life easier. I still prick test quite a bit because the libres aren't that accurate and can lag or read low but all in all are great. If you just start smashing through test strips they will give you a libre because of outweighing costs. If you can spend more money on strips in a month than a libre will cost then they'll put it on a prescription!!

 

[UK T1]

Hi, yes I too had to test more than 8 times a day to be eligible (though check the gov guidelines and eligibility changes). Others had to have high HbA1c and then 6 months after having the sensors show that their HbA1c had improved, or frequent hypos and then show these had decreased in number. You basically have to prove that having the libre will be cheaper for the NHS than continuing as you are now (is my understanding at least)...

Abbott do free 'courses' on their website about how to use the libre, so it might be worth flicking through them before your appointment. It will also tell you best what the limitations are (like lagging behind 'real' glucose values and inaccuracy at low and high glucose levels). Hope this helps!

 

[Ushthetaff]

As many have already said it’s a post code lottery, I’ve been on the Libre on prescription for about 2 years , I was lucky , I didn’t have to jump through any hoops , my consultant just recommended me , I wasn’t taking bloods regularly, my Hb1ac was terrible , my job made it very difficult to do regular testing ! I was working 14 hour shifts , I th8nk the consultant used a common sense approach rather than a financial one .I can say after using the libre I am a different diabetic , Hb1ac in range
Maybe I am less of a strain on nhs I think I am ! Which is the point isn’t it , we are apparently one of the biggest strains on the nhs , surely the increase of good blood control has got to help.
In my experience of the Libre it virtually always reads low , so when it showing low readings actual bs is a tad higher.

 

[UK T1]

Just saw this: NHS to prescribe libre to those on insulin with learning difficulties. Not sure about the details but thought it might helps some reading this thread when discussing it with their GP/consultant.

https://twitter.com/NHSDiabetesProg/status/1355922540795809794?s=19