Lancets on prescription

Hi,
I have had T1 for 20 years and over recent years I have let it get out of control. I made the decision to do something about it and started off by attending the DAFNE course. Their recommendations for blood testing were before every meal, before bed and before driving, which for me is around 6 times a day/ 180 times a month. My Diabetes team sent a letter to my GP on completion of the DAFNE course stating that I would need a minimum of 150 lancets and strips each month; as lancets come in boxes of 100 I will need 200 a month as opposed to my old prescription of 100 per month. Initially several GPs refused to change my prescription and would only give me 100, but when I saw my usual GP in December he changed the repeat prescription to 200 for me and also put a note on the system to keep at 200.
I thought that my problem had been sorted until today when I went to collect my lancets prescription and I only got 100 again. When the receptionist spoke to my usual GP he said that he would try and change my repeat prescription back to 200 lancets but it may then be changed back to 100 again as there is now a legal limit of 100 lancets per month to be issued.

Does anyone know if this is correct??

Thanks,

Lisa

Hi,

Thanks for your replies guys.
I am just waiting on a call back from the practice manager to complain about this. In the mean time I have received an email back from Diabetes UK careline stating that there is in fact NO LAW restricting the amount of lancets or strips. See below for the email reply that I got from them:

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for getting in touch.

There is absolutely no 'law' which restricts the amount of lancets available on prescription. Some PCT's are advising GP surgeries about how many lancets and test strips they should be prescribing their patients, though this is general advice and guidance. GP's should treat each individual patient's needs and if your need is for 200 lancets and your doctor is in support of this need, then there is no reason you cannot be prescribed the amount of lancets you need.

There is not a legal limit on the number of lancets that can be issued on a repeat prescription, that is an odd description of the situation.

It would be advisable to just speak to the GP again and ask him exactly what he means and who has set this 'law'. If someone else in the practice who is issuing the prescription is changing yours to fit a policy then perhaps a note could be put on your records to prevent future problems.

If you do find this issue continues, then you may find it helpful to contact our Advocacy team, who may be able to assist you be contacting your GP surgery or give you further advice regarding how to tackle the issue; advocacy@diabetes.org.uk 020 7424 1840.

I do hope this has been useful, but please do contact us again if we can be of further assistance. You can also call our Careline on 0845 120 2960*, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. The lines are staffed by trained Careline counsellors who would be happy to offer what support and information they can.

With Best Wishes
Diabetes UK Careline

This should come in use for when I speak to the practice manager this afternoon!! I'm certainly not giving up on this 1!! I would advise anyone else having issues to do the same as me or quote the email that I got!!

Thanks again,

Lisa

OK I think I've sorted the problem out after lengthy discussions with the practice manager and the PCT practice pharmacist/ prescription manager.

Their excuse was that the reduction in lancets and strips provided is to prevent diabetics over-testing, I then pointed out that this regime of back ground insulin then quick acting when I eat/ carb counting is increasingly popular with T1 diabetics as is T1 diabetics attending and following the DAFNE course/ regime; the recommended amount of blood testing per day is 4-6. I also pointed out that through the DVLA it is a legal requirement that anyone who has T1 diabetes tests their blood sugars before driving which can be minimum of 2 tests a day alone!

The practice manager has now agreed to put a high alert on the system so that my prescription for lancets (only comes in boxes of 100) are kept at minimum of 200 and my strips are kept at minimum of 153 (51 per pack).

Can I just say to those of you are re-using their lancets (I used to do this myself) that it's not just about hygiene when they tell you to only use them once; even when washed they may still have traces of blood from the previous test which can give a false result when you test again, also the lancet has a special coating which is lost after first use making it blunt. There are many other reasons why someone shouldn't use their lancets/ needles more than once including causing damage to the tissue in the finger or injection site.

Thanks for your support everyone!!

Lisa

Although it does say only to use it once on the lancets box, I have been given this information over the years from Diabetes Nurses, Diabetes consultants, Diabetes UK and more recently through the DAFNE course!! My current Diabetes consultant (the best I've ever had by the way!!) does know his stuff and also works with the Department of Health 2 days a week- It takes a hell of a lot for me to trust a doctor (and I've seen a lot of them over the years!!) and I certainly trust my consultant, plus not one bit of advice/ support he has given me since I became his patient in 2004 has been incorrect. So if he says not to use my lancets more than once, whilst given me a full explanation (written and verbal) to say why, then I'll take this advice!!! Of course I agree that it is up to the individual how they test, manage their diabetes, how many times they use the lancets or needles, but as a person who has gone several years re-using lancets and needles then changing to single use, I have seen a big difference!

In regards to the restrictions being put in place by many PCTs in the UK to lancets and strips, I have been on the phone to NICE today (they are the ones who give such guidance to PCTs, which is then passed on to GP surgeries) and I have had it confirmed by them that NICE has never issued such guidance to PCTs to restrict the amount of strips and lancets prescribed to T1 diabetics. I have the written version of their guidance from the NICE website which states that the amount of strips/ lancets prescribed should be dependent on the individual's glucose control, insulin regimen and their personal preference. It also states that Diabetes (or any other health condition) should not be generalised.
I am now starting a campaign now about this and going through Diabetes UK and my MP because I am sick of Doctors, Nurses and other Health Care Professionals (who do not specialise in diabetes of course) generalising diabetes and not treating it on an individual basis; as well as PCTs going against the advice of NICE just to save money!

If you want to support me with this, post your message and I'll take it with me when I see the MP.

Thanks for everyone's advice so far,

Lisa