NHS Glucose-Testing Advice

[janabelle]

Hi all,
Many people have reported probs getting the necessary glucose-testing strips from their GPs, I also had this problem with a couple of GPs in the recent past. I'm a type-1 on insulin. I recently found a document from my PCT which has shed some light on the subject. It's no surprise that Type-1s and 2s are having probs,if a health authority can publish such nonsense. :evil:
Pay particular attention to the advice for type 1 and 2s in this document. http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cac ... 0DDao7y5Fw
I've always checked at least 4 times a day on normal days-if I'm ill it's a lot more than that.
I also thought that drivers on insulin were supposed to check before they embark on a car journey.
Is this kind of advice common-place in the NHS?
Jus

 

[sugarless sue]

Note that the revision date was 2008. Do you know if this has been updated ?

 

[janabelle]

Thanks Sue, haven't been able to find any more recent info,maybe I'll give them a ring.
Jus

 

[graham64]

There's more info here;

http://www.npci.org.uk/therapeutics/car ... s_smbg.pdf

Graham

 

[kegstore]

I'm guessing there are no T1 pump users in the Waltham Forest PCT area? Utter madness.

It is self evident that there is little value in doing a blood test if the results of this are not going to help the management of diabetes, and where such testing does not alter either care plans or the course of the illness.

This sentence in the Introduction caught my eye, I wonder what percentage of patients don't actually use their test results to improve their situation? Given the difficulties experienced by so many T2s on this forum in getting test strips prescribed perhaps quite a large number, making it so much more difficult for the conscientious types to obtain their supplies...?

 

[ham79]

WOW!!!!!!!!
That is quite scary I don't think they can say testing makes you depressed when in the end it can give you hope and keep you working towards achieving as normal a life as possible. I wonder how many diabetics have a say in this

 

[hanadr]

The thing that most offends me in that leaflet, is the following:

>>If you wish to check, once or twice a week should be
sufficient. It is however important your blood sugar
levels are checked once or twice daily during the week
before your clinic appointment. This is to enable your
doctor or nurse to see if any adjustment to your medication is
required.<<

NICE is advocating Self-Management. Why then should we be handing this function over to nurses?

 

[Debloubed]

>>If you wish to check, once or twice a week should be
sufficient. It is however important your blood sugar
levels are checked once or twice daily during the week
before your clinic appointment. This is to enable your
doctor or nurse to see if any adjustment to your medication is
required.<<

Hmmmmm, not sure about anyone else but I don't often have a doctor or a nurse with me when I'm calculating my insulin/correction dose which I couldn't do unless I was testing!! what utter tosh :roll:

 

[hanadr]

Deb
I bet they couldn't do the calculation anyway
Hana, being cynical 8)