Anyone else having problems obtaining BG Test strips from their GP?

Hey guys,

I've recently had some problems obtaining blood test strips from my GP. I never had this problem in the past, but with the current state of our country and budget deficit in our NHS, GP's have been told by their local PCT that they need to cut down on prescribing people Blood glucose test strips, (To save money). Every GP has an allocated budget and this has been cut down in the recent months and so this means to cut down supply on us (Insulin Dependent Diabetics) (Because test strips are so expensive). I've just recently completed my DAFNE course and Middx Hospital, And have found it very helpful in controlling my BG levels. But Now I'm forced to cut down to 1-2 Blood test's a day which means I can't really practice my DAFNE skills as much because I cant test my sugars.

This is a real headache because when I eat new food (From outside, or a takeaway or other) I need to know if I counted the Carb's correctly and estimated it correctly. The only way I can know if I did this correctly is to do a Blood Glucose test after coming home to make sure its in range.

As far as im aware, the point of DAFNE is to educate people with their Insulin and improve their long term control (To avoid future complications, which can cost a lot more to treat over the long term). But If im forced to only do 1-2 Blood tests a day, surely this kind of defeats the point of DAFNE (In my case) because without confirming I've taken the correct amount of insulin by doing a BG test my long term control will only spiral out of control eventually, which defeats the point.

Anyway, I don't want to ramble on, but surely this will only have a detrimental affect on Type 1 Diabetics and their long term control, The DAFNE definitely takes the guesswork out, but without "Confirming" i've done it correctly (Taken the right amount of insulin), over the long term this will only cost the NHS more (In complications of poor BG control).

So basically, just wanted to know, is anyone else having same/similar issues obtaining BG test strips from their GP recently (Last few months) or is it just my GP?

Same as, can get one box of 50 prescribed but the old 150 has gone missing. %0 last me about 12 days. Tried to get changed over to the Accu Chek Mobile cartridge and told too expensive despite chemist telling me they were about the same price.

I tried to change over to the Accu-Chek Mobile as well, but their just not on my GP's prescription list (probably because their so expensive), Looking around on the internet, I reckon the Accu-Chek Mobile ones are more expensive, from my research.
Its not fair is it?.. I mean im a UK tax payer, I expect the goverment and NHS to allocate sufficient money and resources to pay for the basic treatment I require. Surley this is some sort of breach of human rights or something, Its not fair I should have to compromise my health because our bullsh*t government cant manage their money and finance's (To busy spending OUR tax payers money on all these EXPENSES scandles and such).

(Sorry about the language, but it reflects the seriousness of this topic) Its just not fair why we should suffer, I reckon this will cost the goverment alot more in the long run, (Complications and such)

And unfortunately, theirs nothing we can do, perhaps theirs scope for another company to come in and undercut Abbott & the other major players, to just provide a service to our country and NHS?
I mean im sure they'd have to make a profit, but Screwing our NHS government and us Tax Payers for MILLIONS in profit isn't really fair is it?

Would love to hear other people views on this,

Pharmacist told me the Accu Check was no more expensive. As for the NHS, unfortunately there are so many people who are given free prescriptions, that it is the poor old person trying to earn an honest crust who has to pay.

Yeah, understood, I guess that's just the country we live in (I guess we should be lucky we have a NHS), We have members here from Australia, I wonder what their views are on this, The Aussies and the Germans have a more civilized & fair government & Health Service.

Can Anyone from Australia comment on this situation?.. Do you have problems in Australia regarding Test Strip Prescriptions?

I guess were just going to have to learn to live with it, I live in a predominately Asian area, Asians tend to have a higher risk of developing Type 1 Diabetes (I'm told) due to their Genome, I think this also plays a part in my problems, Because my GP has so many diabetics registered with their surgery, so its even worse then other parts of the UK I would think.

Are their any DAFNE instructors or Doctors on this forum that can provide a insight and or further information into this?

I'm stunned that this is happening and wondering if that's why my GP put a note on my prescriptions to review. I'm there on Wed morning. The thing is though, on my presciptions they've marked to discuss my insulin and needles, no mention of test strips and that's what I order more frequently. The thing is what do they expect, do they want you to die? You can't be sent on a course to manage your diabetes and then be expected to cut back on testing you BGs. If that is on the agenda then everyone on this site needs to make a stance. We need to show the impotance of it. I'll let you know how I get on.

Sam

Hi Sam,
Yes I'd love to know how you get on, I want to know if this is a problem just in my area or across the UK.
I was doing around 2-4 tests a day in the past (4 as a maximum when im exercising and eating new foods and stuff).
Now im FORCED to do around 2 a day MAX, so I really have to think do I need to do this?...
Also a big problem is when I have high blood sugars, I experience symptoms of low blood sugars (ie: thirst, hunger, little shakey, need to eat), So the only way I know if im high or low is a BG test.
If i was to only rely on my "feeling" I suspect my sugars will rise big time. Really worried about this but I guess we'll see how we get on over the next month or two.

Love to know how you get on, If you doctors dont say anything, dont prompt them about it, They may decide "Wooah, hang on, are we giving this guy to many test strips". So if your GP has a big enough budget you may be allright, But I suspect this will affect alot of us over the coming years, Its just not right, Again.. I still feel it is a "Human right" to have the correct amount of medication and resources to manage my diabetes, I can understand they need to save money, but comprimising peoples long term health is just not on.

(Also, Ive just ordered a box of test strips with my own money to tie me over "hopefully" for a month or two (Call it a backup box, Just in case, I suspect ill be needing it), but I dont earn enough money to be doing this all the time, so its just a temporary fix for now, I mean £15 per pack of 50 is alot of money for me! I cant be doing this forever! What a state our country is in!, I cant even get the medical resources I need to manage my condition, Im sure our taxes will still go up over the next year even though their cutting back our supplies (At our health's expense))

Anyway, Let us know how you get on, really interested!

hiya i remember an article about cutting test strips for type 2's in balance magasine last year. I never thought they would do this for type one. Isnt prevention better than cure? And will this not then lead to more hospital admissions for us and un do all the hard work that dafey has done so far? Luckly my GP hasnt restricted my test strips yet. karen

Hi Karen,
I wouldn't worry, too much, a few GP's seem to have a bee in their bonnet about it but most are fine. Unfortunately my Dr doesn't even know what DAFNE is despite me giving him a letter at the end of the course.

Yes, I read that same article about cutting BG test strips for Type 2 Diabetics, also, I think this will only affect some people, IF your GP has a large enough budget to allow them to continue issuing test strips, You shouldnt have a problem,

Like I said, the problem I have, Is that MY GP has alot of diabetic's regsitered in their surgery, and this means they have to cut back on some BG strips to some patients to stay within budget. If you are part of a surgery that has a large budget, and not many diabetics registered under 1 surgery you should be fine, But something tells me that over the next few years this will affect a percentage of us, because the NHS is so broke at the moment, the "Easy" way to save money is to cut back on issuing test strips.

I agree, this will only lead to more problems for some of us in the future, the cost of hospital admissions and diabetic complications drastically outweigh the cost of these test strips, God knows what the NHS will have to do when more people in the future have more complications which in turn.... Cost ALOT MORE Money. Then just issueing the test strips and allowing us to have tighter control over our BG's.

Like I said, this may or may not affect all of us, but over the next few years, I suspect the NHS see's this as a "Easy" solution to save money (In the short term). But over the long term... Im not so sure.

If you one of the lucky few that have not had their strips cut, Good for you, Don't ask your doctor about it, this may trigger a thought like "Wooah, are we issuing to many test strips to this patient".

In my experience from my last review, I was told that I can only do MAYBE 2-3 tests a day, MAX, otherwise I will run out of strips before my next repeat prescription is due, and ill be stuck with nothing.

Just want to know if anyone else has had this problem?, or is it just MY surgery. If so, I may be considering changing to another surgery, (I shouldn't really have to do this, I mean my local GP is my local GP, I shouldnt have to travel a few miles to just pick up my prescription should I?

If anyone does have any problems what so ever (With ANY prescriptions ie, not just BG Strips), Please post it here, I'm interested if its ONLY me and my surgery or is it across the board.