Today’s BBC news report re. Libre sensors availability on NHS

slip said:

It says those that under take intensive monitoring >8 time a day

doesn't say blood tests so scanning is the same as 'monitoring' surely...........

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Not according to my consultant, blood tests means finger prick tests not scanning.

Copernicus said:

Not according to my consultant, blood tests means finger prick tests not scanning.

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May I suggest you ask your consultant where in those criteria does it mention the words 'blood tests' - and so by their definition scanning the Libre is not 'monitoring' the persons glucose levels then?

I did ask him that very question and was told that the CCG would not take into account anything other than finger prick tests. Now that may have changed since the recent announcement. I did argue my point that I tested at least 12 - 14 times a day with the Libre but he was adamant that that would not count.

How close were your CCGs criteria compared to RMOC?

RMOC is all that counts now........well in April it will be.

slip said:

How close were your CCGs criteria compared to RMOC?

RMOC is all that counts now........well in April it will be.

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As far as I can see, the two sets or requirements are the same and as i am well controlled, thanks to Libre I will still not qualify. I haven't been admitted to hospital, I get early warning of Hypo's, I don't need assistance from anyone else to take my insulin etc and although I test at least 12 times a day, these are not finger prick tests. Also my HBA's are averaging at 7.9. So although I can prove that the Libre has transformed my diabetic control, I almost certainly will still not qualify for free sensors on the NHS.

The obvious thing to do now is make sure you get a good supply of strips from your gp and test your blood 8+ times a day until your next consultant appointment, madness as will cost the NHS more but their fault if they want to be so stupid!! What they are looking for is the cost of libre will be similar to the cost of strips they prescribe you, I self funded for a year before I got funded and in that time made sure I continued to use my full quota of strips as had read the RMOC and hoped my CCG would follow their guild lines ( they finally did in September ) my agreement to funding is I cut back from 250 strips a month to 150 a month, I know I can do that easily.

The testing thing is easy peasy, it’s the other hoops that you have to jump through that are the issue. Anybody can use up strips and test if they have a mind to.

I believe the RMOC says you only have to meet 1 criteria!?!?

sninge said:

I believe the RMOC says you only have to meet 1 criteria!?!?

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That's true but that was also true of the local CCG's. You had to meet 1 of I think 6 criteria

suk said:

I was told by the Diabetes nurse at my surgery that I was eligible and that she just needed my consultants authority to put the libre on my repeat prescription.
When I approached my consultant he told me that priority was being given to people not on a pump. So I wasn’t in the right ‘group ‘.
I know I’m being negative but I don’t think I’ll ever get it!

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How many times a day are you finger pricking? Even thou the Libre is supposed to be available to all type 1s, there is still hoops to be jumped through!

suk said:

I was told by the Diabetes nurse at my surgery that I was eligible and that she just needed my consultants authority to put the libre on my repeat prescription.
When I approached my consultant he told me that priority was being given to people not on a pump. So I wasn’t in the right ‘group ‘.
I know I’m being negative but I don’t think I’ll ever get it!

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Contect Prof Partha Kar (@parthaskar on Twitter) he was responsible for the national role out of Libre and is very willing to phone people's consultants to "explain" the rules to them.

I am a little confused by the criteria thing from the governing bodies point of view. You have to be checking bs so many times number anything between 8-12 anyways , if your finger pricking 10 times a day your control is probably going to be not bad whereas if you not your control is going to be let’s say worse. Poor control is a HUUUUUUUUUUUGGGEEEEWW drain on NHS resources so we are told, surely common sense ( yep that phrase that seems to evade people when they get to the upper echelons ) would say people with poor control should get it. I’m of the thinking like probably most of us here that it’s technology which makes our life easier , in the long term it will help with control , resulting in “ less strain” on NHS
I do believe that it will be available to everyone in Britain ,I remember when I had to buy disposable syringes as they were classed as a luxury , now we get daily Needles on prescription . Let’s hope common sense does prevail
As a side note if this is all about budget there must be some offset between better control less use of blood sticks so I would imagine in the end it would probably end up cheaper. I am lucky I live in Scotland ( yes I know so lucky it’s beautiful) and my health authority provides the Libre on prescription. I had poor control, don’t test blood regular , I was never asked or told about criteria and after Libre I test blood att least 12 times a day and my control is now excellent , speculate to accumulate they say, well it worked with me

I have used the libre. And I love it. I think I did about 800 scans in 14 days. Addictive.