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Libre now on the NHS

V

videoman

Well-Known Member
Messages
191
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Finally thr Libre Flash meter is on the NHS from October.My GP in June said no to my consultants request to have the sensors on prescription,well now I will reask and hopfully I will get the sensors as I already have the reader and just want the sensors? Has any body got one on prescription?
 
"The device will, subject to local health authority approval, be available on the NHS across the United Kingdom from 1st November 2017."

So I don't think anyone will have it yet and it will still be down to your local health authority whether they will prescribe it and to whom.
 
Why did your consultant request it in June when it wasn't NICE approved?
 
Went to see my GP a month ago who agreed immediately to prescribe and place on a repeat script. Problem has been getting it from
my local pharmacy, who have always been and continue to be committed, supportive and helpful however, they’ve been getting the royal runaround by the supplier for weeks. They’ve been told they need to establish an account which to date they are struggling to do.

Has anyone in the U.K. had similar problems.
Geo.
 

As many will be aware prescribing on the NHS is at the discretion of local health authorities. Many have decided not to allow GPs to prescribe sensors except for especially fragile diabetics. This leaves those who have taken an active interest in the management of their own health at a huge disadvantage. Furthermore it will ultimately cost the NHS much more as the benefits of close blood sugar control will be limited to those who can afford to pay for themselves and thus a potential reduction in the rate of complications will not be realised.
If you agree with me that this is both short sighted and unjust please see and sign the e-petition on this subject (search the Govt e-petition website site for "Diabetic" and perhaps also write to your MP. My aim is to have this very useful technology made available to all type 1 diabetics across the country irrespective of their ability to pay the short term cost of approximately £1200 pa.
 
Is there a link?
 
A extra bit of bad news for those who live in Devon and the availablity of Libre and this is a reply I got :
Thank you for your email regarding the Freestyle Libre device, which has been forwarded to us by our colleagues in the Western Locality. NEW Devon CCG is aware of this technology and that it has been added to the NHS Drug Tariff. The Drug tariff provides a mechanism to determine which drugs and devices will have the cost reimbursed to the pharmacy if they supply against a prescription.
It is up to the individual local NHS commissioning groups to determine if they wish to fund this innovation, taking into account its costs, benefits and other competing priorities for the funds made available to the CCG for the commissioning of health care services.
This inevitably means that difficult decisions need to be made. Unfortunately, some treatments that patients might wish to receive, and that healthcare professionals might wish to offer, cannot be funded or are offered only under certain circumstances. This approach is consistent with other NHS organisations who provide healthcare for their local communities.
We are aware that there is significant interest in this device, which we know will incur extra costs for the health system. As with any new device, it will be evaluated with regard to clinical evidence and cost effectiveness. The CCG has processes through which it takes decisions on the use of funds for new technologies. A decision on this technology will be made in early 2018, and the CCG is in communication with local diabetes specialists about this.
Prior to this decision being made locally, prescribing is not recommended by the CCG. Communication has been sent to GPs and diabetes consultants across Devon clarifying this position.
 
I think there is a take home message for Abbot in all of the rplies Ive seen from various CCG’s which is that they need to up production and drop their profit margins.

With the burgeoning interest in developing cgm devices from the tec sector, I would also think that unless Abbot understand that message, they will soon find themselves out of the game
 
Apparently Lloyd's the chemist have an account with the manufacturer, so if you have one in your area you could try them. My sister had the same problems as you but persisted, her own local chemist did some investigating and between them she gets her strips regularly on NHS. Note a lot of chemists and hospital staff have never heard of the libre so you have to explain how it works, they all agree how brilliant. How come only us diabetics know or it and a handful of medical people.
 

I have also contacted Abbot and agree with your comments regarding price availability and their customer cares knowledge of the libre. I was fortunate enough to be given a libre and as I had just had a pacemaker fitted thought I should check with is compactability. I called Abbot who had no idea just told me to look in the book. The person on the phone said I don't think it will be a problem just try ! Is that before or after my pacemakers frequency has been interfered with and I die. I did look in the book and it says no tests have been done to ascertain the safety with pacemakers as there are so many different types. I regard this as a very serious error that this is being marketed and could potentially kill people and the staff unable to give you the correct advice.
 
Hey folks
We need just 1200 more signatures to reach the 10000 at which the Government has to give a reply. If you haven't signed please do so and encourage your family to do so as well. You can find the link in the post above.
Thanks
 
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