NHS removing Items from prescription Lists.

[JohnEGreen]

A heads up

NHS England has announced plans to curb the prescription of "low-priority" items like silk garments.

There is limited evidence the clothing helps people with eczema and dermatitis enough to justify prescribing it, a consultation document says.

Officials are proposing taking eight items off the NHS prescription list under plans aimed at saving £68m a year.

Others include an acne medication and diabetes products.

The items, which are deemed to be of relatively low clinical effectiveness, to have cheaper options available or to be of "low priority" for funding, are:

Silk garments - for eczema and dermatitis
Aliskiren - used to treat blood pressure
Amiodarone - to treat abnormal heart rhythms
Bath and shower emollient preparations - to treat eczema and dermatitis
Dronedarone - to treat the heart condition atrial fibrillation
Minocycline - to treat acne
Blood glucose testing strips - for diabetes
Needles for pre-filled and reusable insulin pens - for diabete

In the case of the diabetes testing strips, needles and pens, officials are proposing that GPs prescribe more cost-effective alternatives rather than scrapping them.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46361639

 

[mahola]

"low clinical effectiveness" Yeah, those test strips and needles only go towards keeping us alive. Not to worry.

 

[EllieM]

"low clinical effectiveness" Yeah, those test strips and needles only go towards keeping us alive. Not to worry.

Presumably they'll still prescribe them, but the cheapest generic brand.

I'm in NZ, and they only prescribe one type of testing strip. I don't particularly like the meter, but it appears to work (maybe over reads compared to my old meter) and I use it because pharmacies no longer stock any other brands even if I wanted to self fund. It's cosmetically less pretty than other brands, but it does the job, so I don't blame the NZ government for wanting to minimise their costs so that they'll have money for other medical needs.

I'm just glad to be in a country with funding for all my meds, even if I have to take the cheapest brand (ie, not the US).

 

[Deleted Account]

"low clinical effectiveness" Yeah, those test strips and needles only go towards keeping us alive. Not to worry.

As stated in the article and above "In the case of the diabetes testing strips, needles and pens, officials are proposing that GPs prescribe more cost-effective alternatives rather than scrapping them."

I think the interesting thing will be how they define "more cost-effective".

 

[jackois]

I notice the article doesn't mention the type of diabetes when listing the blood test strips.

I suspect that they will firm up on GP's not prescribing to type 2 patients. As for type 1, I've already had my strips, meter & needles replaced for a more cost effective type, according to our practice nurse when she informed me of it. Saying that, the needles and testing still work fine.

 

[mahola]

Having read a bit further into this, it appears they mean T2 diabetes, so I think we're safe. But we shall see. I remember the hassle I had when they tried to put my daughter onto the cheaper needles. She ended up with lot of bruises and a reluctance to inject so...

 

[Bluetit1802]

Having read a bit further into this, it appears they mean T2 diabetes, so I think we're safe. But we shall see. I remember the hassle I had when they tried to put my daughter onto the cheaper needles. She ended up with lot of bruises and a reluctance to inject so...

T1s may be safe if you are correct, but there are an awful lot of T2s that inject insulin.

 

[mahola]

T1s may be safe if you are correct, but there are an awful lot of T2s that inject insulin.

I didn't mean to sound selfish. Sorry to upset you.

 

[JohnEGreen]

Trouble may lie in how proposals are interpreted by individual GPs as either an instruction or as guidance.

I had been using the code free cost effective and much cheaper strips than other machines but not highly accurate.
Am now using the contour next one dearer but with much more accuracy. And I think would be far better for the needs some one who unlike myself is insulin dependent.

Edit As an after thought I wonder is the money saved going to go toward funding more CGMs that are going to be prescribed next year.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I didn't mean to sound selfish. Sorry to upset you.

Deary me, you haven't upset me at all, and you weren't being selfish. I just wanted to point out to anyone reading this thread that it could affect a lot of T2 diabetics. Sorry if I sounded upset with you personally. Anything but.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

It seems that this is the way the NHS works and it's all down to cost saving. We will be expected to pay for more and more for our medical treatment, just bit by bit, until we will pay for everything.
It has to be considered that for the UK to have trade deals with the US, they expect US corporations to have greater access and involvement in UK healthcare. As Noam Chumpsky, American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, political activist, and social critic, said "That’s the standard technique of privatization: defund, make sure things don’t work, people get angry, you hand it over to private capital."
British Rail, British Gas, Royal Mail, NHS?

Sounds about right

 

[db89]

I notice the article doesn't mention the type of diabetes when listing the blood test strips.

Perhaps it's been amended since you read it but it now reads:

• Blood glucose testing strips - for type-2 diabetes (cheaper options available)
• Needles for pre-filled and reusable insulin pens - for type-1 and type-2 diabetes (cheaper options available

 

[JohnEGreen]

Yes it has been altered since I first posted it. Originally it read as I had inluded in my post.

So it will affect to some degree both T1 and T2.

 

[Flora123]

If they are going to stop prescribing test strips then I do hope they become available to buy on the high street. Some healthy competition in prices would be brilliant.

 

[SOPHIE2006]

If they are going to stop prescribing test strips then I do hope they become available to buy on the high street. Some healthy competition in prices would be brilliant.

I've seen some testing strips in boots and 1 particular brand the strips were £40.

 

[tina_marie]

As my husband only takes metformin his strips got stopped .

 

[Robinredbreast]

As stated in the article and above "In the case of the diabetes testing strips, needles and pens, officials are proposing that GPs prescribe more cost-effective alternatives rather than scrapping them."

I think the interesting thing will be how they define "more cost-effective".

That would probably be the 'cheapest'

 

[lucylocket61]

what about those who are on very limited incomes? Not only diabetics,but those with excema etc? this is yet another pressure on the poor. They dont pay for prescriptions, but will have to pay for even more meds.

 

[Robinredbreast]

what about those who are on very limited incomes? Not only diabetics,but those with excema etc? this is yet another pressure on the poor. They dont pay for prescriptions, but will have to pay for even more meds.

I am on a limited income, I do get free prescriptions as I am now 60, but I did before that, because of type 1 diabetes. I remember a time when needles had to be paid for !
Could we get to a point, when we will have to put a strong/worthwhile case together, to actually get our life saving prescriptions. They want us to live longer and we are, with new medicines, new technology, medical science,research, new drugs, but who is actually paying for it, it's us, we as patients are getting a raw deal and it looks like it will get worse.

Will a type of USA Insurance scheme have to come into place along side our NHS, will we have to pay a nominal fee to see a GP. I can understand people getting worried or concerned about not just getting the right treatment, but actually getting treatment at what cost. This is something that has been going through my mind, I also feel for the younger generation, as the future does look bleak, what will be like for them when they reach 70 or 80, will they still have to work full time or have to look after their elderly parents, who could be 100 +, the mind boggles
Off my soap box now.................

 

[dipsydo]

I had read the same article in the Times and was musing what was the cheaper alternative to strips and insulin injecting needles for both T1 and T2 who are on insulin . The wording in the Times stated that they were cutting useless or inefficient treatments , not sure what is useless or inefficient about strips and insulin injecting needles. If they are looking at cheaper versions of the same equipment then that may be a discussion which could be had as long as the equipment is of the same accuracy. The interesting comment was that the removal of the 8 treatments would save £68m a year which is a gnat bite in NHS funding and would only require a very small percentage of diabetics to end up at hospital to eat up the saving . The comment pennywise pound foolish comes to mind.