NHS legally obliged to give you test strips?

BarryLey said:

She says I only need to test once every 3 days.

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RECOMMENDATIONS
R18 Self-monitoring of blood glucose levels should be used as part of an integrated package
that includes appropriate insulin regimens and education to help choice and
achievement of optimal diabetes outcomes.

R19 Self-monitoring skills should be taught close to the time of diagnosis and initiation
of insulin therapy.

R20 Self-monitoring results should be interpreted in the light of clinically significant life
events.

R21 Self-monitoring should be performed using meters and strips chosen by adults with
Type 1 diabetes to suit their needs, and usually with low blood requirements, fast
analysis times and integral memories.

R22 Structured assessment of self-monitoring skills, the quality and use made of the results
obtained and the equipment used should be made annually. Self-monitoring skills
should be reviewed as part of annual review or, more frequently, according to need and
reinforced where appropriate.

R23 Adults with Type 1 diabetes should be advised that the optimal frequency of
self-monitoring will depend on:
● the characteristics of their blood glucose control

Education programmes and self-care
● the insulin treatment regimen
● personal preference in using the results to achieve the desired lifestyle.

R24 Adults with Type 1 diabetes should be advised that the optimal targets for short-term
glycaemic control are:

● a pre-prandial blood glucose level of 4.0–7.0 mmol/l and
● a post-prandial blood glucose level of less than 9.0 mmol/l.
Note: These values are different to those given in the recommendations for children and
young people with Type 1 diabetes because of clinical differences between these two age
groups.

R25 Monitoring using sites other than the finger tips (often the forearm, using meters that
require small volumes of blood and devices to obtain those small volumes) cannot be
recommended as a routine alternative to conventional self-blood glucose monitoring.

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Monitoring your own blood glucose levels
An important part of your treatment will be making sure your blood glucose level is as normal and stable as possible.

You will be able to manage this using insulin treatment and by eating a healthy diet, but you'll also have to regularly check your blood glucose levels to make sure they are not too high or too low.

Exercise, illness, stress, drinking alcohol, taking other medicines and (for women) changes to hormone levels during the menstrual cycle can all affect your blood glucose levels.

In most cases, you'll need to check your blood glucose levels at home using a simple finger prick blood test. You may need to do this up to four or more times a day, depending on the type of insulin treatment you are taking. Your diabetes care team will talk to you about your ideal blood glucose level

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Blood glucose should be checked before driving (even on short journeys), and tested every 2 hours on long journeys. If the blood glucose level is 5.0 mmol/L or less, the person should eat a snack before driving. Alcohol should be avoided.

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