Freestyle Libre availability called a "Postcode Lottery"

[Martin.A]

Read this over the weekend and wondered if anyone had experienced this.

Why are diabetics STILL being denied access to lifesaving technology?

NHS bosses promised 80,000 Britons with type 1 diabetes a wearable blood glucose monitor, but it has been revealed that in some areas, just one patient in ten is receiving the device.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Robin]

This has also been posted here.

Why are diabetics (type 1) still not given the gadget that frees them from finger prick blood tests?

I couldn't promote this "gadget" enough! https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8850545/Why-diabetics-not-given-gadget-frees-finger-prick-blood-tests.html

forum.diabetes.org.uk

I'm still waiting for approval. It took me from
November 2019 to January 2020 for my nurse to refer me to the wrong department at the hospital (She filled in the form for a Type 2 dietitian, for some reason), she was supportive.
January getting my GP to send it to the right department, she was also supportive.
February, making an appointment through 'choose and book,' first one available late May. Which was cancelled due to Covid, of course. June, had a telephone consultation with a hospital doctor who was supportive and said she’d refer me for approval to 'The committee' .
June to October hearing nothing, I emailed her secretary a week and a half ago, and had a reply saying my email had been passed to the right person, 'who deals with Libre queries' since then nothing.
I shall be on the warpath soon, but it’ll soon be a full year since I approached my surgery nurse. I'm getting a lot of supportive noises, but no action!

 

[Kaylz]

My experience was great

Had an appointment with my DSN January 2019 where she told me it was now being prescribed in the area and gave me a sheet of paper with details on it, had to do the Libre Academy modules online and obtain the certificate then it was a case of book yourself on one of the education sessions through eventbrite which I did for the April as I had to wait until someone was available to get me there for 9am otherwise I could've had it much sooner, take Libre Academy certificate with me and a repeat prescription to prove you were on insulin and got our starter kit, dietician running the session then sent through to the GP for them to be added to prescription and they were ready to pick up the following week
xx

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear that @Robin. That’s really poor

Your experience sounds much better @Kaylz!

 

[freesia]

I had one for a two week trial last year. My DSN then said she would refer me to a committee and they would decide whether i was eligible. I went for 'training' in February and was told i could have it for 6 months then it would be reviewed. In August my DSN said i could have it prescribed.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I went for 'training' in February and was told i could have it for 6 months then it would be reviewed.

I started my 6 month trial last July. I'm not entirely sure whether the trial has just been extended a little or whether they've made their decision to keep me with it on prescription. (I'm guessing the latter, though so long as it's still on my repeat prescription I guess there's no real difference to me.)

 

[Amity Island]

This has also been posted here.

Why are diabetics (type 1) still not given the gadget that frees them from finger prick blood tests?

I couldn't promote this "gadget" enough! https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8850545/Why-diabetics-not-given-gadget-frees-finger-prick-blood-tests.html

forum.diabetes.org.uk

I'm still waiting for approval. It took me from
November 2019 to January 2020 for my nurse to refer me to the wrong department at the hospital (She filled in the form for a Type 2 dietitian, for some reason), she was supportive.
January getting my GP to send it to the right department, she was also supportive.
February, making an appointment through 'choose and book,' first one available late May. Which was cancelled due to Covid, of course. June, had a telephone consultation with a hospital doctor who was supportive and said she’d refer me for approval to 'The committee' .
June to October hearing nothing, I emailed her secretary a week and a half ago, and had a reply saying my email had been passed to the right person, 'who deals with Libre queries' since then nothing.
I shall be on the warpath soon, but it’ll soon be a full year since I approached my surgery nurse. I'm getting a lot of supportive noises, but no action!

Robin,
It was about the same wait for me too.

 

[Amity Island]

I started my 6 month trial last July. I'm not entirely sure whether the trial has just been extended a little or whether they've made their decision to keep me with it on prescription. (I'm guessing the latter, though so long as it's still on my repeat prescription I guess there's no real difference to me.)

Bruce,

I was kept on after 6 months "trial", I was told provided the libre is having a positive effect on my diabetes management, there is no reason to take it away.

 

[trophywench]

Mine's on a 6 month 'Trial' too, and I had to sign to say I understood that if it didn't demonstrate it was helping they could terminate the NHS funding.

No wait really - had my 'in person' review (delayed from April which had been cancelled) at the clinic in early September, enquired if I could have a go with one, appt made for a fortnight hence, went back and got the kit and first sensor, GP asked to prescribe it, 3rd sensor due to expire in a couple of days, right now my second scrip is ready for collection from the pharmacy we use.

As yet, not sure if it's helping as most readings bear little if any resemblance to my BG meter readings (usually over 1.5 lower than BG so it'll be firmly in serious hypo territory when BG says high 4s hence there's a lot of red on the graphs) and as the pump only responds to the BG meter/handset ......