New NICE Guidelines

[SOTR]

Following the new NICE guidelines for Type 2, as announced on the BBC this morning I emailed my GP practice asking for a prescription for a weight loss drug.
Got a call from a Physician Assistant, the upshot being:
1) prescribing SGLT2 inhibitor, taking me off Sitagliptin
2) I get a finger prick glucose monitor and strips on prescription - in past years they refused the strips
3) flat No to request for Freestyle CGM
4) I had a request in for a referral to a hospital endocrinologist - they are not doing this

I'm slightly ****** off - why have guidelines that weight loss drugs are to be considered, then not do it?

 

[lovinglife]

Do you have a link to the new guidelines? Are they new from today?

Wording is everything I think and if the guidelines say “that weight loss drugs are to be considered,” then that’s all they have to do is consider them. Not disagreeing with you & I understand your frustration but if those are the new guidelines then maybe they have followed them & considered it?

The weight loss drugs have a lot of side effects & contraindications with other conditions. I had a long 30 minute chat with my DSN back in February & it really is a very considered medication.

 

[Rachox]

@lovinglife , I just found this. I glimpsed through it and what concerns me is it only talks about medication, I thought low carb diets were going to be promoted more

Biggest shake-up in type 2 diabetes care in a decade announced

Biggest shake-up in type 2 diabetes care in a decade announced by NICE

www.nice.org.uk

 

[Rachox]

And here is the BBC’s take on it, again no mention of diet

More weight-loss drugs offered in type 2 diabetes care shake-up

Diabetes patients should have better and more equal access to newer medicines, says official healthcare body.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[lovinglife]

Thanks @Rachox, so the guidelines haven’t changed yet they are still in draft & need consultation, I agree @Rachox it’s very disappointing not to see diet mentioned

 

[carolm]

Following the new NICE guidelines for Type 2, as announced on the BBC this morning I emailed my GP practice asking for a prescription for a weight loss drug.
Got a call from a Physician Assistant, the upshot being:
1) prescribing SGLT2 inhibitor, taking me off Sitagliptin
2) I get a finger prick glucose monitor and strips on prescription - in past years they refused the strips
3) flat No to request for Freestyle CGM
4) I had a request in for a referral to a hospital endocrinologist - they are not doing this

I'm slightly ****** off - why have guidelines that weight loss drugs are to be considered, then not do it?

Following the new NICE guidelines for Type 2, as announced on the BBC this morning I emailed my GP practice asking for a prescription for a weight loss drug.
Got a call from a Physician Assistant, the upshot being:
1) prescribing SGLT2 inhibitor, taking me off Sitagliptin
2) I get a finger prick glucose monitor and strips on prescription - in past years they refused the strips
3) flat No to request for Freestyle CGM
4) I had a request in for a referral to a hospital endocrinologist - they are not doing this

I'm slightly ****** off - why have guidelines that weight loss drugs are to be considered, then not do it?

I got similar treatment today. GP refused Thyroxine, Been on it for many years, not seen the blood test but they say I'm taking too much. Asked to see the consultant, they spoke to one 2 years ago on my behalf and they had a meeting between gps the other day!! Diabetes I can do the finger prick tests as I buy the strips, thyroxine I'm supposed to be on for life suddenly not needed. I suspect money saving and they hope the elderly wont question them My next stop, can I self refer to the local hospital. I tried Subject Access request. person who deals with requests didn't work yesterday. Subject Access Requests are a legal request for information. I hope you get your diabetes sorted properly. Where do they train these gps now, kindergarden?

 

[Lakeslover]

The papers seemed to have taken the weight loss drugs as the headline to get people interested. But it does say this is for adults with cardiovascular disease, and those under 40. So not for everyone on demand.

I’d like to see more type 2s offered CGMs. Costly in the short term, but if it improves control then likely to save money in the long term…..unlikely to happen I know.

 

[SOTR]

Where do they train these gps now, kindergarden?

Well this was a Physician Assistant.... you might not be far wrong there

 

[Daphne917]

I got similar treatment today. GP refused Thyroxine, Been on it for many years, not seen the blood test but they say I'm taking too much. Asked to see the consultant, they spoke to one 2 years ago on my behalf and they had a meeting between gps the other day!! Diabetes I can do the finger prick tests as I buy the strips, thyroxine I'm supposed to be on for life suddenly not needed. I suspect money saving and they hope the elderly wont question them My next stop, can I self refer to the local hospital. I tried Subject Access request. person who deals with requests didn't work yesterday. Subject Access Requests are a legal request for information. I hope you get your diabetes sorted properly. Where do they train these gps now, kindergarden?

If they say you’re on too high a dose why don’t they reduce the dose and retest rather than stop it completely. Are you under 60 years old as it may be a financial issue as you may now have to pay for prescriptions?

 

[KennyA]

Just a reminder that these are still in draft, and there is a consultation period underway. They don't (yet) replace the current guidelines. My guess would be that, even if these draft guidelines are implemented in full, no-one will see substantial changes in local prescribing and treatment until the start of the financial and planning year 26-27.