CGM / Libre - self referral to hospital?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Feeling Fit

Feeling Fit

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I have been asking for a CGM/ Libre since 2015. I will have been type 1 for 60 years in Feb 2020 and have lost all hypo awareness. Only go to GP surgery on an annual basis as hospital referred me back to primary care for check ups in 2015 (when coincidently I asked for a CGM). Understand GP cannot get me a monitor, neither will she refer me back to hospital because she says I have no diabetes related problems. To my way of thinking hypo unawareness is a pretty big problem (as I can no longer drive) and anxiety provoking as well. Can I self refer to see a consultant? If not, how can I get a CGM/ Libre (can't afford to buy one & purchase additional accessories on an ongoing basis). I gather the Libre has been available on NHS for 2-4 years. Daughter thinks I should change doctors. Would be interested in finding out how others obtained their diabetes tech on NHS.
 
Feeling Fit said:
I have been asking for a CGM/ Libre since 2015. I will have been type 1 for 60 years in Feb 2020 and have lost all hypo awareness. Only go to GP surgery on an annual basis as hospital referred me back to primary care for check ups in 2015 (when coincidently I asked for a CGM). Understand GP cannot get me a monitor, neither will she refer me back to hospital because she says I have no diabetes related problems. To my way of thinking hypo unawareness is a pretty big problem (as I can no longer drive) and anxiety provoking as well. Can I self refer to see a consultant? If not, how can I get a CGM/ Libre (can't afford to buy one & purchase additional accessories on an ongoing basis). I gather the Libre has been available on NHS for 2-4 years. Daughter thinks I should change doctors. Would be interested in finding out how others obtained their diabetes tech on NHS.
Click to expand...
I suggest you ring the helpline phone number at the top of the page, they should be able to advise you.
 
Feeling Fit said:
I have been asking for a CGM/ Libre since 2015. I will have been type 1 for 60 years in Feb 2020 and have lost all hypo awareness. Only go to GP surgery on an annual basis as hospital referred me back to primary care for check ups in 2015 (when coincidently I asked for a CGM). Understand GP cannot get me a monitor, neither will she refer me back to hospital because she says I have no diabetes related problems. To my way of thinking hypo unawareness is a pretty big problem (as I can no longer drive) and anxiety provoking as well. Can I self refer to see a consultant? If not, how can I get a CGM/ Libre (can't afford to buy one & purchase additional accessories on an ongoing basis). I gather the Libre has been available on NHS for 2-4 years. Daughter thinks I should change doctors. Would be interested in finding out how others obtained their diabetes tech on NHS.
Click to expand...
I had to be referred back to the hopsital in order to start pursuing the quest for a Libre (it took a year from start to finish altogether, not helped by Covid, but I got there in the end with a lot of persistence). I did manage to get my GP to refer me though, and she was willing to do so.
I’d have thought lack of hypo awareness would be a major reason for being referred. Have you asked your GP what they can do about it at the surgery? And if the answer is 'Nothing' you may have to insist on a referral. I'd certainly start from the angle of 'What are you going to do about my lack of hypo awareness, it could be fatal?'
There may be a method of getting in via the back door, as it were, if you have a nurse at the surgery who you see for your diabetes checks. Sometimes they have a hotline to the community DSN team, who are more specialist, and can see you or speak to you if necessary. I only found this out by accident when I went to a local DUK talk and there was a DSN from the hospital there.
.
 
Robin said:
I had to be referred back to the hopsital in order to start pursuing the quest for a Libre (it took a year from start to finish altogether, not helped by Covid, but I got there in the end with a lot of persistence). I did manage to get my GP to refer me though, and she was willing to do so.
I’d have thought lack of hypo awareness would be a major reason for being referred. Have you asked your GP what they can do about it at the surgery? And if the answer is 'Nothing' you may have to insist on a referral. I'd certainly start from the angle of 'What are you going to do about my lack of hypo awareness, it could be fatal?'
There may be a method of getting in via the back door, as it were, if you have a nurse at the surgery who you see for your diabetes checks. Sometimes they have a hotline to the community DSN team, who are more specialist, and can see you or speak to you if necessary. I only found this out by accident when I went to a local DUK talk and there was a DSN from the hospital there.
.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply, Robin. Surgery has no DSN. Saw one last Oct but she left after only a couple of months. Have harped on and on about this (annually) every check up but to no avail.
 
Feeling Fit said:
I have been asking for a CGM/ Libre since 2015. I will have been type 1 for 60 years in Feb 2020 and have lost all hypo awareness. Only go to GP surgery on an annual basis as hospital referred me back to primary care for check ups in 2015 (when coincidently I asked for a CGM). Understand GP cannot get me a monitor, neither will she refer me back to hospital because she says I have no diabetes related problems. To my way of thinking hypo unawareness is a pretty big problem (as I can no longer drive) and anxiety provoking as well. Can I self refer to see a consultant? If not, how can I get a CGM/ Libre (can't afford to buy one & purchase additional accessories on an ongoing basis). I gather the Libre has been available on NHS for 2-4 years. Daughter thinks I should change doctors. Would be interested in finding out how others obtained their diabetes tech on NHS.
Click to expand...
Hi feeling fit, I’m sorry to hear your situation, I’m not sure how you would go about getting setup with a libre but sounds like you should go to the top of the queue, I live in Germany so the process is a little different for me as we are all on a more or less private healthcare system, I will copy Mike in admin to get your post into it’s own string so you may get more advice from everyone, I hope you find some food help
@everydayupsanddowns, Mike could you get this string into it’s own post, might be a little buried here and not receiving the attention it deserves
 
This seems to be something which is done differently in different CCGs so explaining what happens where I live is of little help to you. I think it would be best to ask your local clinic (not GP surgery). Have you tried phoning the endocrinology department at your local hospital, explaining your situation and asking them how you go about self referral?
 
Welcome back @Feeling Fit

Sorry to hear about the problems you have with hypo unawareness. That is such a devastating complication of long-term T1.

It really does sound as if you need access to more specialist support. Hopefully you will be able to get a referral from your GP to a hospital clinic. I know some people who choose to attend specialist centres quite a long way from where they live because they specialise in CGM and/or hypoglycaemia.
 
Hi @Feeling Fit as I understand it you are entitled to have a referral to a consultant if you so wish. So write a letter to your GP explaining how your diabetes affects you and why you want the Libre and say you understand s/he can not prescribe the Libre so would they kindly do you a referral to the diabetes clinic.
 
To my mind, @Feeling Fit, and without wanting to worry you, the fact that the GP surgery have shown little interest in advising on hypo unawareness is potentially life-threatening. Experience suggests they may have little understanding of Type 1. Suggesting you have "no diabetes-related problems" is simply untrue. Faced with a different problem, I found a letter of complaint copied to the CCG provided a hospital clinic appointment fairly quickly. I was eventually prescribed Libre by the hospital, though I started persuading them by self-funding and handing over a print-out at the appointment. (They can bid for sources of funding that may not be open to GPs.) For many people, hypo awareness will return if you make sure to stay above range for a certain amount of time on a regular basis. A Libre or CGM would help you to do this.
 
Hello feeling fit, My tuppences worth, put everything in writing and copy your MP into all correspondence. Could you check your eligibility for additional benefits that may increase your financial situation. Citizens Advice are superb. Good luck it does seem a bit unfair that some type 1 diabetes are able to the Libre whilst others have to battle for it, diabetes is hard enough. Keep strong
 
JohnWhi said:
To my mind, @Feeling Fit, and without wanting to worry you, the fact that the GP surgery have shown little interest in advising on hypo unawareness is potentially life-threatening.
Click to expand...
Yes, regardless of whether Libre is the appropriate remedy hypo unawareness is a well recognised and serious problem, and your GP ought to be offering you a referral for that.
 
Elizabethe said:
Hello feeling fit, My tuppences worth, put everything in writing and copy your MP into all correspondence. Could you check your eligibility for additional benefits that may increase your financial situation. Citizens Advice are superb. Good luck it does seem a bit unfair that some type 1 diabetes are able to the Libre whilst others have to battle for it, diabetes is hard enough. Keep strong
Click to expand...
Why involve the MP? All OP needs to do is put it in writing to her GP and if no referral she then asks the CCG to intervene.
I'm curious to know what OP's finances have to do with obtaining basic equipment from the NHS as well.
 
Pumper_Sue said:
Why involve the MP?
Click to expand...
We have been asked, in connection with the "Diabetes is serious" campaign, to write to our MP asking for the NHS to be better funded for the treatment of diabetes. It may be worth a brief letter on the benefits of funding monitoring technology.
 
JohnWhi said:
We have been asked, in connection with the "Diabetes is serious" campaign, to write to our MP asking for the NHS to be better funded for the treatment of diabetes. It may be worth a brief letter on the benefits of funding monitoring technology.
Click to expand...
That may be the case but not where OP is asking GP for referral so she can access the Libre.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top