Surgery rant!

[mcdonagh47]

When all my meds were reduced from 56 days to 28 days nobody said anything so I went along to the chemist to pick up and laughed when they tried to hand over this small bag. Told them it must be wrong as my meds usually filled a big bag. But no, only one box of each thing and no owing notes. Chemist explained it was a new ruling that surgeries only prescribed for one month at a time.

explanation is that it is being done to prevent wastage. I would say that those of us on regular meds are the least likely to waste medication,

and also to stop people selling things like strips on ebay.

 

[AlisonM]

I struggle with blister packs as well. I'm always losing the blasted pills as they shoot off across the floor when the blister pops.

 

[PattiEvans]

Can't believe it. Read this thread and then went down to the kitchen to cook dinner. Sitting on the island unit was a bag with my prescription in it that hubby had collected for me this afternoon. Looked inside and only 150 strips instead of the 200 I expected. Looked all over for the "item owing" ticket, nothing. Then read on the chemist label on the boxes "1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3" so I reckon I have the same battle on my hands. Particularly since I should be on the pump within 6 - 8 weeks and needing more strips not less until I get it sorted. Mind if I crib some stuff from your letter Northie?

 

[Lauras87]

Sorry to hear about this Alan.

Seems stupid & dangerous for you & what happens when they moan about you requesting every 2 weeks?

but I'm in the diabetes med boat refusal at the min.

My gp has refused to give me glucagon as they said I don't need it, thankfully the surgery was closed or I would of done my nut in

 

[newbs]

Your letter looks perfect to me, hope it does the trick! It is ridiculous how prescriptions are changed without notifying the patient. I've had my strips reduced by one box for now so get 150 per script rather than 200. I can get by on this but hope it does not get reduced further.

 

[Northerner]

Your letter looks perfect to me, hope it does the trick! It is ridiculous how prescriptions are changed without notifying the patient. I've had my strips reduced by one box for now so get 150 per script rather than 200. I can get by on this but hope it does not get reduced further.

Was no explanation given? What is the point of reducing someone's strips per prescription given you HAVE to test and a cure is (as always!) at least 10 years away? Grrrrr!!!!! 😡

 

[Lauras87]

Was no explanation given? What is the point of reducing someone's strips per prescription given you HAVE to test and a cure is (as always!) at least 10 years away? Grrrrr!!!!! 😡

Alan, I've been told by some diabetics I know that the PCT's are telling gp's to cut test strips due to costs but that is only meant to affect T2's not T1's

 

[HOBIE]

The country is full of "People" in offices changing things & trying to save money with "----" ideas. If it was down to me i wold pay them off & save some propper money 😉

 

[Northerner]

Alan, I've been told by some diabetics I know that the PCT's are telling gp's to cut test strips due to costs but that is only meant to affect T2's not T1's

Well, we don't have PCTs any more, now we have CCGs and they need to understand the advantages (or even necessities) of testing. There are more T2s on insulin and other hypoglycaemic medications, like gliclazide, than T1s - they need to understand diabetes, not have this skimming detail mentality They are supposed to know about these things, so why is it the patients know more than the doctors?

 

[Lauras87]

Well, we don't have PCTs any more, now we have CCGs and they need to understand the advantages (or even necessities) of testing. There are more T2s on insulin and other hypoglycaemic medications, like gliclazide, than T1s - they need to understand diabetes, not have this skimming detail mentality They are supposed to know about these things, so why is it the patients know more than the doctors?

I was told in child clinic that diabetics know more in 6 months than doctors & consultants do in their working life time.

My head gp says that no gp at the surgery understands diabetes & all the different types of insulin to want to deal with any insulin dependant diabetics at the surgery & if there are issues with medication they blame the pct & openly tell T2's as well as print it on repeat prescription by test strips that no T2 should test their blood sugars

 

[mcdonagh47]

Well, we don't have PCTs any more, now we have CCGs and they need to understand the advantages (or even necessities) of testing. There are more T2s on insulin and other hypoglycaemic medications, like gliclazide, than T1s - they need to understand diabetes, not have this skimming detail mentality They are supposed to know about these things, so why is it the patients know more than the doctors?

I was just thinking of the changeover, are these sudden restrictions of strips the first fruits of the recent health "reforms" ?
There is a conflict of interest now with the Doc led groups - the Gps can pay themselves salaries of a quarter or half a million a year but only if they cut down spending on patients and hold back on references to Consultants and send people off to poor/cheap hospitals miles away. They can't hide behind the PCTs any more but at least PCTs weren't at the patient/doctor interface.
Oh and it will surely be a big struggle to get a pump from now on ?

 

[Northerner]

I was told in child clinic that diabetics know more in 6 months than doctors & consultants do in their working life time.

My head gp says that no gp at the surgery understands diabetes & all the different types of insulin to want to deal with any insulin dependant diabetics at the surgery & if there are issues with medication they blame the pct & openly tell T2's as well as print it on repeat prescription by test strips that no T2 should test their blood sugars

And they wonder why so many people end up with complications and needing expensive and life-altering surgery

 

[PattiEvans]

Was no explanation given? What is the point of reducing someone's strips per prescription given you HAVE to test and a cure is (as always!) at least 10 years away? Grrrrr!!!!! 😡

Newbs and I are under the same PCT, or now the same commissioning group. We both appear to have had 50 strips per script knocked off. WHAT is the point of reducing strips for T1s? We're only going to ask for em more often, we're not going to cut down on testing, we can't. So more pharmacy charges as you say Northie, plus more time for the Dr to prescribe et al. Absolutely ludicrous.

 

[PattiEvans]

Phew... I have to say I panicked unnecessarily. Rang the chemist this morning and apparently I was prescribed 200 and they do owe me another box. As a rule if there's a mistake made on my prescriptions it's from the surgery and not the chemist, who have a fantastic team working for them. Comes to something when we're all on first name terms doesn't it? Shows how often I'm in there getting scripts!

 

[Jimbo]

Oh Hazel, so would I. Some of those blister packs are little blighters and the number of cuts I have had from opening them!

You are so right! It's one of my pet hates too.

 

[Rivki061]

I was told in child clinic that diabetics know more in 6 months than doctors & consultants do in their working life time.

My head gp says that no gp at the surgery understands diabetes & all the different types of insulin to want to deal with any insulin dependant diabetics at the surgery & if there are issues with medication they blame the pct & openly tell T2's as well as print it on repeat prescription by test strips that no T2 should test their blood sugars

I was told at my GP's surgery that test strips are not given to type 2's as some will use them and not make adequate changes to their lifestyle so consequently no type 2's get them.
I don't enjoy having diabetes but I wasn't over joyed with being thought too stupid to be able to test my own blood sugars and to adapt my diet where necessary!

 

[Rivki061]

I was told in child clinic that diabetics know more in 6 months than doctors & consultants do in their working life time.

My head gp says that no gp at the surgery understands diabetes & all the different types of insulin to want to deal with any insulin dependant diabetics at the surgery & if there are issues with medication they blame the pct & openly tell T2's as well as print it on repeat prescription by test strips that no T2 should test their blood sugars

And they wonder why so many people end up with complications and needing expensive and life-altering surgery

Oh but of course you know Northerner that if we have complications they will always be because we didn't take care of ourselves!

 

[Lauras87]

I was told at my GP's surgery that test strips are not given to type 2's as some will use them and not make adequate changes to their lifestyle so consequently no type 2's get them.
I don't enjoy having diabetes but I wasn't over joyed with being thought too stupid to be able to test my own blood sugars and to adapt my diet where necessary!

As horrible as it sounds, I wish more gp's were diabetic to understand things that we go through before refusing things.
Have you managed to get any test strips from your gp or have you had to fund it yourself?

 

[Rivki061]

As horrible as it sounds, I wish more gp's were diabetic to understand things that we go through before refusing things.
Have you managed to get any test strips from your gp or have you had to fund it yourself?

I have asked two GP's for the strips and have so far had no success;another thing I've heard is that they are unnecessary if you are not on insulin but I have been on Gliclazide and I have had a couple of hypos.
Looks as though I will once again need to fund them myself!

 

[Northerner]

I have asked two GP's for the strips and have so far had no success;another thing I've heard is that they are unnecessary if you are not on insulin but I have been on Gliclazide and I have had a couple of hypos.
Looks as though I will once again need to fund them myself!

Grrrr! 😡 Well, you know how I feel about this It is so lazy of some doctors to fail to notice when they have capable and motivated patients and brush them off with such a terrible lack of understanding. I could perhaps understand if diabetes was a rare condition but it's not, many of their patients will have diabetes and it is negligent of them to offer such poor help and advice. Not only that, but gliclizide should automatically allow for provision of an adequate supply of strips. Just WRONG!!!! Grrrrr!!!