• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Refused blood sticks by GP (Type 1)

azure said:
That's awful @Vick22 It made me angry reading it :mad:

Has you OB actually spelt out the number of strips you need a month and why? Some GPs don't know as much as you'd imagine about diabetes.
Click to expand...
Yes, I read what she had written specifying the duration and reason etc.

Yes my GP is very quick to critique my control for example whilst trying for our baby my GP said my hba1c of 45 could be a lot better...I had to snigger because if I didn't I'd have exploded.
 
Let's hope your OB writes a more pointed letter then! Good job I'm not writing it as I would be extremely blunt!

It's very upsetting to have to fight for enough test strips (I've had to myself) but doubly so when you're pregnant. When my GP tried to limit mind, I told him I'd hold him personally responsible if I got ill. I also asked him how he'd feel if one of his children had diabetes and wasnt allowed to test their blood sugar as much as they needed.

Yes, I was angry! I find it very annoying personally and on principle.
 
Next time you feel sweaty, faint or just freaking hungry turn up at A&E with your T1 warning card, insulin pen and meter and say "my GP refuses me test strips" and you will see the staff's jaws drop and letters marked URGENT and in bold type will be appearing at your GP practice very soon and this gets results. It's drastic but it does work, take it from me.
 
If you drive a car how can you comply with the law regarding testing your blood sugars? I would point out to your GP that he prescribes a dangerous hormone/drug called insulin and he is not providing the tools to regulate the amount given, so........ does he consider it a good idea to reduce your insulin on prescription. I would love to see his face if you do.
 
@London36_

The last time when things at the GP surgery were not running as efficiently as I would hope, I called to speak with the Practice Manager. The PM was always busy in day long meetings! By the fourth time of calling to speak to PM and refusing to speak to anyone else, I announced that I would write to the PM and asked for his name. The Office Manager suddenly become very willing to deal with whatever it was I wanted to resolve and it did get resolved immediately.

Over the years I have built up a reserve supply of strips so I can still have adequate strips for times when I need to test more frequently or things do go wrong with the supply chain either at the surgery or the chemist supplying my needs.
 
London36_ said:
Went to collect my test strips today without success and was told by pharmacist (who had been told by GP/receptionist) that I'm 'over using' blood sticks and that's why my prescription was declined. Apparently I must book an appointment to discuss my 'overuse' (but they can't fit me in until Thursday!) Ahhhh anyone would think I'm getting high or getting a kick by making my fingers bleed.

I called GP and said to receptionist that I felt very unsafe and vulnerable by not being able to test and that I'm not booking an appointment to discuss overuse. Feel like I would be bullied? They had, in the last month, received a letter from my pump team explaining I test up to 10 times a day. On their average, since last prescription, I would have been testing 4 times a day. (I did have more already at home though.) overuse?!?! Is this what budget cuts and pressure upon GPs has come to?

As I refused appointment, I called my consultant who was super supportive / horrified and will write again to them. In the meantime, I've had to buy them. £27.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem? Did it get resolved? My consultant said she could only write which has made me worried that they could still refuse me.

Feeling frustrated and sad.
Click to expand...

Having had this problem myself twice in the last three years (resolved now) and having had to move practices to sort it , i now think it is mainly a matter of some GPs just not understanding Type one, they are very rushed, they are generalists, and have little time to think or read anything, have literally thousands of patients with numerous diseases, and massive financial pressures and most of the diabetics they are prescribing insulin to are Type 2s. When i had all the problems i took it all too personally, and just got so stressed my blood pressure was all over the place and my control was out for ages and i had more infections. But then after things had been sorted i went over in my mind what had been said. In the first case the doctor had mostly talked about costs but he also said ' you have a good HbA1c, it is 7.0%, and you use so little insulin, how can you need to test so much, why are you on the insulin pump?.......then he was talking of patients who used very high doses of insulin....later i realised that despite my hospital letters he just did not understand what Type one was, or that adults could even be type one. Or that Type one people can look slim and well. One of the GPs at the next practice, who removed all my strips, clearly did not understand either. Hopefully you will get things sorted, but if not ask for an appointment and find out what your GP knows about type one - you may find there has simply been a misunderstanding and that the relationship will be stronger for the discussion.
 
Hi

I am Type 1 but also happen to be a GP. I agree there is a lot of ignorance from GPs. You are right in thinking that some GPs do not differentiate between Type 1 and Type 2 when prescribing testing strips. On the other hand there are indeed great pressures on keeping prescribing costs down; what I would do is to ask for a copy of the letter from your consultant and make sure that the GP you see has seen it (that is not always the case in larger practices. I really would urge you to see your doctor in order to ensure that they know as much about you as possible. I had a situation where my GP practice only prescribed me 50 strips per prescription and only offered me one HbA1c test per year. Once I had explained things it got sorted. The problem is that because of "requirements" for targets, practices treat all patients with diabetes the same. I hope that we never do that in our surgery! You really do need to see your GP otherwise they may carry on treating you as one of the crowd rather than as an individual. Best of luck and do post to say how you get on!
 
I had some bother before when joining a GP surgery for the first time. Was told 150 per month is too much, so I changed surgery!
 
The updated NICE guidelines from August 2015 give clear instructions about testing blood for diabetes type 1,

The guidelines say:

Self-monitoring of blood glucose
Frequency of self‑monitoring of blood glucose
1.6.10 Advise routine self‑monitoring of blood glucose levels for all adults with type 1 diabetes, and recommend testing at least 4 times a day, including before each meal and before bed. [new 2015]

Might be worth printing them off and asking the doctor why he doesnT see fit to follow them?

http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng17/chapter/1-Recommendations#blood-glucose-management-2

Xx G







 
Unfortunately NICE are still guidelines to GPs and hospitals. They can dismiss them if they want to.
A different example but a very real one for many, many women and indeed men..
NICE state for breast cancer..radiotherapy to be started 31days after the operation (if it is necessary). My radiotherapy started on the 63rd day and when looking up this in more detail... Well very few NHS hospitals are achieving 31days.. The average is 48-53days.

A GP can give their reasons for not following NICE guidelines..same as hospitals for patients when they can't achieve the 31day guidelines for radiotherapy...
 
Just an update...
When I tried again at my pharmacist I picked up 10 boxes!!! 500 strips! It felt like Christmas and I've been testing when I feel I need to this week without subconscious rationing. My repeat prescription seems to only last 6 months- it says I need to book an appointment in July?!
Even when I was pregnant I only had 6 boxes which I had to beg for, literally "for the the sake of my unborn child". 10 is great in terms of quality of life- even from the 'ugh going back yet again to reorder then collect on a different day hassle'.
I called the surgery and was very firm with the poor receptionist pointing out a letter had already been sent from my hospital stating I test a lot and I was now left feeling very unsafe and vulnerable which was true. I also spoke to consultant who was in shock and furious. She sent / faxed a letter and I'm not sure whether it was me or the letter which resulted getting the strips. I received a copy of the letter which, interestingly, appeared to focus upon, more than once, about my anxiety about not having the strips. It was almost as though the impact of mental health was a factor as much as other obvious benefits of testing.
Anyway, either way it all ended well for me but still makes me angry that GPs are under this pressure which in turn, negatively affects patients' health- particularly if they are patients who accept that, according to their doctor, they are 'over using'.
I didn't book an appointment to avoid being seen as 'one of the crowd/diabetics' as I never see the same GP and mostly see the doctor 'there for a year's experience of general practice' who normally leaves by the time I ever need to go, and is then replaced by another. Maybe this is part of the problem?
 
Hi guys, a update from me also, after being refused the test strips I had called my GP for, And the letter I sent in from my OB, I still didn't collect any extra test strips this week other than my usual amount. I requested some once more, which I was told 1 box would be ready to collect today, went back for them and they still haven't prescribed them!! I have had to explain 3 times I am pregnant and it makes no difference! I came out of hospital last night after being admitted for steroid injections and need to keep a closer check over the next few days which I explained to the receptionist this morning but I know I'm wasting my breath. My DSN is going to write another strongly worded letter and if nothing happens I'm going to have to take it further.

I am reluctant to change doctors as I've been at the same one all of my life and I only really go to see the nurse, who is lovely. But I don't see why I should have this struggle every time I request something extra.

My GP doesn't like to issue anything extra than necessary, I understand the cost of the things I need, but surely they must see that if my diabetes was not well controlled and I was admitted into hospital that would cost the nhs more money?!
 
Really upsetting @Vick22 I can't remember whether you've spoken to the Pratice Manager or not? I had to make a complaint to my surgery and I found speaking to the Manager helped. I just said I wanted to make an official complaint and was put through.

I think this is doubly disgusting - firstly, you're not getting the strips you need, and secondly, you're being put under stress when you're pregnant.

Is there any way your consultant or DSN can do a prescription for you? My consultant gave me a prescription which I was able to collect at the hospital pharmacy. It wasn't policy to do that. It was a one off prescription as my surgery were being too slow. Could your consultant give you a prescription for so many hundred strips? I don't know if that's possible, but I just wanted to suggest it.
 
A complaint to the PM can get results.
All phone calls to Practices are recorded so be precise and calm and factual if speaking.
A letter is good as this is a record and GPs have to log all complaints and action within set times etc.
a complaint is not allowed for GPs, nurses or anyone else to treat you differently afterwards....
You have to detail what action you require the Practice to take to resolve the matter.

I certainly wouldn't have any qualms myself in writing a letter of complaint. When you hear what complaints consist of..(this is a real one)..."a bald man complaining he is not prescribed shampoo" - then your complaint is genuine and needs to be resolved.
 
Thanks guys, I will make a call to the surgery if I can't get back in today and make the complaint. I need to call the chemist and see if they have sent the prescription through also. I am seeing my ob again in two weeks for my next scan and will inquire about the prescription to collect from the hospital also. All my ob and DSN have done so far is give me a treatment request form. They are perfectly understanding of my need for the strips and can't understand why my GP is being so ignorant to the matter. Fingers crossed I at least can pick up my extra box this evening!
 
Could be that ignorance is the cause. My old GP once said to me when flicking through my blood sugar testing diary - "Why did you need to test your blood sugar again after lunchwhen you could see it was ok that morning?"!

Yes, of course, because Type 1 is that easy. All we do is test in the morning, get a 5.5 and then we can totally ignore our blood sugar for 24 hours!

Never underestimate the lack of knowledge about T1 in the general health service.

Let us know how you get on - and good luck :)
 
Would suggest you request a phone call from GP. I was told same by receptionist when needed more following pump. When I spoke with GP there was no problem and she seemed unhappy that receptionist had refused. I have had no problems since re blood sticks, insulin was next but resolved again via letter from diabetes nurse. seems you sometimes have to be insistent re needs. Hope yo get more appropriate response from GP you do not need to make as appointment phone and request a return call from him/her.
Good luck.
 
Vick22 said:
Thanks guys, I will make a call to the surgery if I can't get back in today and make the complaint. I need to call the chemist and see if they have sent the prescription through also. I am seeing my ob again in two weeks for my next scan and will inquire about the prescription to collect from the hospital also. All my ob and DSN have done so far is give me a treatment request form. They are perfectly understanding of my need for the strips and can't understand why my GP is being so ignorant to the matter. Fingers crossed I at least can pick up my extra box this evening!
Click to expand...

I see you are in east yorkshire - i think your area is East Yorkshire, I think this is one of the two areas in the country struggling most with lack of GPs etc, mine is the other - east midlands - maybe GPs in these areas are just so pressed for time they just cant think? I see that Diabetes Care generally is in the news today, and on BBC website , regarding poor care in some areas. Best wishes , hope things are sorted out as soon as possible.
 
This is terrible- my speedy resolution was because letter from consultant must have been dictated fast and faxed. The ignorance is so disappointing, especially with you being pregnant. What machine are you using? I can try to post you some if the same - crazy but I know how you feel
 
ps aswell as your ob get your consultant to fax a letter. It's rare (I hope) that doctors ignore specialists?!
 
Back
Top