Test strips on repeat prescription

Tracey167 said:

Hi
The receptionist replied " We are not allowed to put test stripes on repeat prescription anymore because there are type 2 diabetics who are doing 4 tests a day when they only need to do 2 and it is costing the NHS to much money".

That is the reason there are so many Diabetic's of all types who are getting complications. Not being allowed to test themselves to see what effect certain foods have on Bg levels, to monitor the levels, ultimately costing the NHS more money......a ridiculous comment which should be challenged every time someone comes out with it as an excuse. Money as usual comes before Patients Health.

I find this very unfair because they are also punishing the type 1 diabetics who need to do 4 or more tests a day.

It's not just Type 1's who need to test more than 4 times a day. I am on Byetta and have to test more times than that, sometimes up to 7 - 8 times a day and without testing my Bg levels would just be a mystery. There are many Type 2's who are on Insulin, are they given the same old excuse ?

As you are a Type 1 you need to test more often anyway so your strips should remain on repeat. Instead of talking to a Receptionist get an appointment with the GP and tell them you want them back on repeat. You NEED to test more frequently, especially if you drive or operate any type of machinery. I certainly wouldn't accept this.

Tracey167

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I'm a Type 2 by the way....testing is the only way to control and manage Diabetes.

Ken

I have just renewed my six monthly prescription and I had no issues with the test strips. I am T2 on Lantus and Novorapid and having to drive to work every day I need to test for that reason alone. I always carry the guidence form from the DVLA to counter arguments against cost. Without testing I would be totally in the dark concerning my BG levels I seem to be very sensitive when it comes to food and would have only found that out with testing

The Practice nurse, who is in charge of all the diabetes care in my doctors practise, told me that they don't like T2 testing themselves, but didn't refuse them when I said that I needed to. 'Because you can't hide from a BG reading'

So I am currently allowed one set of strips per prescription renewal, I renew every two months and get 51 strips, (it works out less than one a day) which I supplement if necessary, from e-bay.

I was told I could no longer have any test strips and would have to buy my own.
I contacted the local NHS trust and told them that I drive a 7.5 tonne truck, wow, I got a call back asking who my doctor was and also told test strips would be avalable at my chemist within 30 mins. :twisted: :twisted:

My problem with all this is that we who use testing to keep control are using our strips properly. But what about all those for sale on ebay from private people simply selling up what they got, presumably freely on prescription, and don't want to use? That's immoral, surely. Except society decides what is moral in any era and clearly it thinks this is! But no wonder it's costing the NHS money. It is those people who should be denied their strips. On the other hand, that's how most of us have to acquire them and can afford to do so, so it's something of a pig's-ear situation. I'm about to argue the case for my own prescription on Monday. Fingers crossed and all that.
DG

DG I hope that you succeed on Monday. I have had my prescription halved and now have just 1 box which is not really enough; I will try to manage but will argue my case if I find it necessary. :roll:

I agree with what you say particularly about the strips being sold on ebay and would agree that it is immoral. :evil:

I feel that the all the NHS is succeeding in doing in severely limiting or denying strips to those who wish to control their condition and avoid expensive complications is ensuring that the patients' money is going to the Immoral Sellers of strips.

How are these Immoral Sellers getting hold of the strips which they are selling? What checks are being carried out on the patients being prescribed strips :?: I would not mind accounting for what I am doing with any that I receive and neither should any honest person.

It would be helpful if people had to account for the strips they get from the NHS by being obliged to keep track of results and food eaten. It should not be a difficult task in this era of modern technology! :roll:

There does not seem to be any interest in anything other than saving money in the short term and long term health and resultant expense is not even considered. Regrettably the solution to shortage of money is all too often battening down the hatches and if anyone is left 'outside' then that is just tough! :evil:

I went to my GP for strips, I am T2 diet controlled at the moment but but with unstable blood sugers. I was told I could not have any as I was not on insulin and they are very expensive. I was told this by the receptionist who I duly reminded had no medical training, I quoted the NICE guidelines regarding unstable diabetes............to which she replied it says on the screen that you were offered medication (metformin) but you refused and are being un-complient so why do you want strips to help control your blood sugers and then she had the audacity to say that strips have a street value....Are you selling them!!!!!!
Continuing with this conversation I found out that she had not discussed this with the gp as she makes thease choices :x .......so my treatment is now in the hand of a jumped up clerk not my GP.
I have since wrote letters of complaint to the practice manager and local PCT and am waiting a reply.
This is so frustrating, as everyone just wants me to take thease tabs, which I don't want to do.

On a funny note when I said nice guideline, she thought they were nice in the sense of you treat me nice :lol: she thought it was a support group.

Synonym said:

It would be helpful if people had to account for the strips they get from the NHS by being obliged to keep track of results and food eaten. It should not be a difficult task in this era of modern technology! :roll:

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And how do you suppose they are going to do that then :? ........and what does 'food eaten' have to do with the issue of test strips?

I am type 1, and don't think that I need to be made accountable for the test strips I use each month, and could well do without having to justify every strip I use in controlling my diabetes! :roll:

Nigel

We have a record number of members and guests who visit this site. As the advice to buy from ebay is always being posted, then has this encouraged the sales from the immoral types who will always look at ways of raising money? Nobody is going to post here that they sell strips on ebay.
It is certainly a catch22 situation but it is no good being outraged by ebay sellers if the advice to use them is always being posted here.
People who need test strips and who do not have enough finances will use ebay, it is economical for them to do so. If that is the only cheap source available then that is where they will go, supply and demand.
I'm alright Jack will always prevail with the sellers.

As for keeping track of what you use, food diary etc. and being accountable, it would not work and why should people, regardless of type, be accountable? Who is going to police this, HCP's?

If you hadto show your meter whenever you ask for a repeat prescription, that would confirm strip use. It would certainly show up anyone who wasn't using them and selling.
Hana

I have bought off ebay and have never had a pack with any sign of anything being removed. There is that much medical supplies on the internet these days, from private suppliers who do things like buying wholessale abroad, I have always assumed that these were the same.

In fact some sellers have a lot of strips for sale, more than they could have got on prescription, and some sell diferent types of strips for different monitors.

I think they are people who have seen a gap in the market and are filling it.

I have seen a new idear about blood glucose testing, although its in the early stages which would save the NHS a fortune.

It involves putting a chip under the skin which takes readings you then put a meter against your skin where the chip is and it gets the reading, no pricking your finger and no strips.

MMMMMMMMMMMM sounds a better idear.

Graham 007 :twisted: :twisted:

I think I would rather prick my finger!

hanadr said:

If you hadto show your meter whenever you ask for a repeat prescription, that would confirm strip use. It would certainly show up anyone who wasn't using them and selling.
Hana

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Do you really think that HCP's are going to find the time to go through your readings for the last month?
This problem is not confined to the UK. I see on some American sites that the health insurers are rationing the amount of strips available and ebay is being used there as well.

Graham1441 said:

I have seen a new idear about blood glucose testing, although its in the early stages which would save the NHS a fortune.

It involves putting a chip under the skin which takes readings you then put a meter against your skin where the chip is and it gets the reading, no pricking your finger and no strips.

MMMMMMMMMMMM sounds a better idear.

Graham 007 :twisted: :twisted:

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Perhaps this is it Graham :?: An implanted glucose sensor.

http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2010 ... -one-year/

No one seems to have a view on why these test strips cost as much as they do.
Personally I feel there is absolutely now no justification for the price that they are. I dont deny any company from recouping its research and development costs and making a reasonable profit, after all we live in a capitalist society whether we like it or not and undoubtedly the meters and test strips must have cost several millions to develop. However these things have now been available long enough for all these initial costs to have been recouped when you consider the number prescribed by the NHS and private sales. Now it is just pure greed for maximum profits that keep these prices up.
Just as generic drugs are saving the NHS a fortune I can only hope countries like India and China start developing these products.
I have never been able to get strips on prescription and if people are now being denied them I am truly sorry but maybe we might just see the price driven down.

Have a read of this from Johnson and Johnson and see what you think. (They make the Onetouch ultra range). I am sure other companies have the same philosophy.

http://lifescan.com/company/about/credo/

You may need a sick bag after you have read this. They are one of the top priced distributors of test strips.

I like the
"We must constantly strive to reduce our costs
in order to maintain reasonable prices"

I'd love to know precisely how much each test strip nets them in profit.

catherinecherub said:

Have a read of this from Johnson and Johnson and see what you think. (They make the Onetouch ultra range). I am sure other companies have the same philosophy.

http://lifescan.com/company/about/credo/

You may need a sick bag after you have read this. They are one of the top priced distributors of test strips.

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