GP Changing my prescription

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Rgee

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Afternoon all,

Thought I'd seek advice on a forum as this may have occurred before.

Basically I have Type 1 Diabetes. I use the accucheck compact blood testing equipment (unreliable - but I like the in-built strips).

Now - I have received a letter today from the GP saying that they no longer want to pay for these strips, and will now be putting me on the CareSens N machine.

Surely they cannot dictate which machine and strips I am happy using??

Has anybody come across this before??

Thanks

Ryan
 
Hi Ryan, welcome to the forum 🙂 I would be most upset if my GP decided to change my prescription like that, and from what you say, to only fund use of one particular meter. For a start, my Accu Chek has software that I can use on my PC - this meter you have mentioned would not be compatible with that so would have quite an impact on things like spotting trends etc.

I haven't heard of this happening before, but it sounds like a cost saving move - although I doubt if the savings could be that great since most manufacturers agree to sell to the NHS at the same price, as I understand it.

edit: just found this page which suggests they are undercutting others:
http://www.spirit-healthcare.co.uk/pct.html
 
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I have been told that there are certain test strips which have been approved for GPs and you have to use ones off that list. I have no idea which strips are on the meter though. I am suprised at you not being allowed accucheck ones, I thought they were quite common, I have never heard of the other meter.
 
Thanks for the quick answers guys.

The GP has suggested that the Accucheck strips cost ?14 for 50. They then explain that the CareSens N strips "The test strips with these meters are slightly cheaper".

So "slightly cheaper" but no amount given how much these cost...

I'm based in Sheffield - and the letter also states:

"Sheffield Primary Care Trust has introduced free glucose meters for all patients with diabetes who need to test glucose levels....With all practices in Sheffield doing this change over, we will be saving huge amounts of money."

So it looks like this could be affecting more people than just me. Not really sure what my rights or are where I stand with this. Citizens advice maybe?
 
I'd be really annoyed if they did that to me.

Could you find out which strips they *will* approve, and pick a machine based off that info? I totally agree they shouldn't be allowed to do this, but in the mean time that might mean you can use a machine you are happy to use, rather than being given one??
 
From reading all the sections of the Caresens website, it looks like they have struck some kind of deal with PCTs, so a lot of the savings come from areas other than the actual strips (including identifying 'waste' - patients who they think don't benefit from testing!).

I must admit, when frist diagnosed I often wondered why there wasn't some kind of 'generic' testing meter and strips that the NHS could use at lower cost - looks like someone was reading my mind. 😱

With all the cutbacks promised, I wouldn't be surprised if this starts to happen more and more. :(
 
Interesting that the Caresens meter and test strips don't seem to appear in the BNF list that GPS work from, wonder what the PIP code is.
If you buy the strips on-line from someone like: http://www.simplicityhealth.co.uk/blood-glucose-monitor-caresens.asp they are more expensive that the accucheck. The meter is only ?5 so thats cheap, you can get free software for it for your pc.
Having said that I found this: http://www.dispex.net/blog/general-news/caresens-n-savings-for-the-nhs so they are pushing it so GPs can reduce expenditure.

Looking at the User manual it seems to take a very small sample but will only store 250 readings. The biggest drawback I can see is there doesn't appear to be the kind of support you get from european suppliers (it's Korean!).
 
Reading Spirit's web site I think they are stepping very close to contravening the laws on fair competition by offering inducements to introduce a monopoly. I don't think the other companies are likely to take kindly to this so I can see law suits on the horizon!
 
The daughter of a family friend has the same GP as me. he tried to change her medication, which is happily working. She went to the hospital where she is happy to remain under the specialist. He wrote to the doctor saying he MUST NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES change any medication with out first consulting with the consultant! If you are under the consultant at the hospital he may be able intervene on your behalf.
 
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