Type 1: Computer says no !!!

[gb350]

Just returned from my local pharmacy after a thwarted attempt to collect items from my repeat prescription.
I had ordered both my insulins [ novorapid flexpens & lantus solostar pens ], and also onetouch verio test strips. My pharmacist informed me they had received the prescription for the insulins, but not for the strips, as I wasn't due any more of these until the 5th of next month. "Erm... can you explain that to me please...". Well, your surgery is telling us that is your allocation of test strips until this date. You were issued with 100 test strips on 22nd September.
I thanked them for their help, and headed off for a chat with my local surgery. After explaining the situation to the kindly receptionist I asked what they could do to help me. She tapped away on her keyboard for a bit, bringing up my details and confirmed what my pharmacist had told me." Computer says No ". Ok I said, let me do a bit of basic maths here. From the 22nd September to the 5th November, that's 44 days. You expect 100 strips to last me that time. Basically I can't test more than twice a day. I was never a great blood tester in my early diabetic days, but more recently I've started to test more. Around 5 or 6 times a day. The emphasis on regular testing is something that is constantly drummed into you in the world of type 1 diabetes. The DVLA now insist on it if you're driving anywhere, so I'd really like to meet the Muppet bean counter, probably employed by my local NHS trust, who has devised a software program in order to ration the supply of test strips.
I've been type 1 for around 38 years now. It doesn't get any easier but I really could do without people trying to make it harder.
Anyone else experienced anything like this...???

 

[Deespee23]

This sort of thing makes me look like my avatar...."The NHS is safe in our hands"........oh yeah?

 

[catapillar]

Nice guidelines provide that type 1 diabetic patients should be supported to test 4-10 times a day, or more (see ng 17 1.6.11-12 https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng17/chapter/1-Recommendations#blood-glucose-management-2)

I suggest seeing the practice manager or a doctor and asking why the guidelines are being contravened.

I suspect the prescribing clerk probably thinks you are type 2 and has applied a tick box approach and ticked the wrong box.

Take a copy of guidelines with you, get someone to actually engage their brain in the decision making process and I'm sure they will issue the script appropriately.

Do you have a DSN at a hospital clinic? If so, get in touch with them because they will support you in asking the script you need. If not, maybe contact the local diabetic nurse team at your hospital and see if they will help explain to your GP practice why it is not appropriate or safe to be restricting access to test strips for an insulin dependent diabetic.

 

[JohnEGreen]

So your surgery has left you with an inadequate supply of test strips, what a bunch of morons. as a T2 not on insulin or blood sugar reducing meds I buy my own but it is not as critical for me as it is for you. This is a situation I think you should be discussing with your GP not his receptionist.

 

[gb350]

Thanks for your replies... I had no idea there was a NICE guideline.. and will be printing a copy of this to present to the practice nurse in a fortnight ,at my annual diabetic checkup. I've been with my GP for over 10 years now, and they really do only provide a very basic box ticking checkup . I have always pretty much managed the condition by myself which has suited me thus far. Maybe its time I got a diabetes management team on my side in order to avoid these kind of complications cropping up...

 

[noblehead]

Thanks for your replies... I had no idea there was a NICE guideline.. and will be printing a copy of this to present to the practice nurse in a fortnight ,at my annual diabetic checkup.

As well as the NICE guidelines, all gp practices were sent a letter from the Dept of Health in 2013 advising them not to restrict test strips for type 1's, here's the letter if you want to print that off too:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa.../Safe-care-of-people-with-type-1-diabetes.pdf

 

[gb350]

Thanks for that.. Noblehead. I will now be turning up for my review with ammunition in my pocket...

 

[MikeTurin]

I supposed that there's some ill-advised cost-cutting proposal sent to GP. Something similar there is happening for blood exams, for instance on cholesterol, and of course you can't take more than two months worth of metformine and statins. Luckily metformine is dirt cheap and I'm a low dose of statins and the statins I take are 16€ for 30 pills, but seems to me that rationing low cost exams is a recipe to get more costly medical procedure after.

Seems to me reading this forum and watching the infamous BBC Panorama programme that NHS is also headed on that direction.

As I've said before on some exams, for instance x-rays, use them for screening or control is a double edge sword because the exam could itself cause problems and complication or generate a false positive for a condition that will not cause problems, but this has to be decided pathology by pathology and not as a generalized slash on prescriptions.

 

[shivles]

Had this with both DD and OH, to be fair DD gets tested way more than recommend as she's only 17 months but OHs doctor gave him 50 strips for a month when I specifically put on the prescription request 250

 

[shivles]

As well as the NICE guidelines, all gp practices were sent a letter from the Dept of Health in 2013 advising them not to restrict test strips for type 1's, here's the letter if you want to print that off too:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa.../Safe-care-of-people-with-type-1-diabetes.pdf

Thank you for this I will be forwarding it to OHs GP!

 

[ScottyD]

I used to get 2 boxes, so a 100 each time. Speaking to my doctor they now give me 4 boxes due to general testing, DVLA and my flying. My poor fingers!!

Wasn't an issue for me by having a 30 second chat with my surgery. Shouldn't have to be anymore than that...

 

[misswhiplash]

Yes. I ended up leaving my last GP practice because of this.
They usually did relent in the end, but I genuinely used to have to spend hours each month explaining to them that I needed more than 50 strips a month.
After having to take time off work for yet ANOTHER appointment to fight about it, I left.
Happily, I was able to walk out of the door and directly into a neighbouring surgery who turn out to be a whole lot more sensible about that stuff.