Prescription Charges and Exemptions

Here's an index page on an NHS website for health costs - use tabs at top to check prescriptions & eyecare costs. However, if you're not in England, you'll need to search for Wales / Scotland / Northern Ireland. As a type 2 diabetic, the key division is between those who take tablets and / or injections (who get free prescriptions) and those who are diet controlled (who don't get free prescriptions on the basis of their conditions, but may for income related issues). If you don't get free prescriptions, but use lots of prescribed items, then look at prescription season tickets for 3 or 12 months.

http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/Healthcost ... costs.aspx

"Diet only" doesn't usually mean free prescriptions but if you go on metformin, which is an excellent medication for type two diabetes you can get free scripts. This means you get free test strips too.

Metformin is the only diabetes drug with improved cardiovascular mortality rates. Side effects are heartburn, farting and diarrheal but these settle down in most people and if they don't the longer acting version can improve things.

In My PCT
Only Insulin users get free strips. I'm allowed 2 packs free per year as a well controlled Metformin only T2. that would work out at roughly 1 test per 3 days, which they assure me is sufficient. I wonder if that's why in our PCT area, about 60% of Diabetics DON'T hit the targets( Hba1c 7.5% :shock: ) I asked them and they told me the target hitting has increased by 3%.
I DO get my prescriptions, but pay for strips. Abbott Diabetes Care give excellent service at a fair price.
Hana