# Needles and test strips to be removed from prescription



## tim_w (Nov 28, 2018)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46361639

The items, which are deemed to be of relatively low clinical effectiveness, to have cheaper options available or to be of "low priority" for funding, are:

Silk garments - for eczema and dermatitis
Aliskiren - used to treat blood pressure
Amiodarone - to treat abnormal heart rhythms
Bath and shower emollient preparations - to treat eczema and dermatitis
Dronedarone - to treat the heart condition atrial fibrillation
Minocycline - to treat acne
*Blood glucose testing strips - for diabetes*
*Needles for pre-filled and reusable insulin pens - for diabetes*

In the case of the diabetes testing strips, needles and pens, officials are proposing that GPs prescribe more cost-effective alternatives rather than scrapping them.

The consultation will run for three months from 28 November 2018 until 28 February 2019, after which joint commissioning guidance is expected to be published by NHS England and NHS Clinical Commissioners.


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## Robin (Nov 28, 2018)

tim_w said:


> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46361639
> 
> The items, which are deemed to be of relatively low clinical effectiveness, to have cheaper options available or to be of "low priority" for funding, are:
> 
> ...


It's been happening for a while, it doesn’t mean no needles or test strips will be prescribed, but cheaper options will be. I was swapped to cheaper needles a few months ago, I decided to give them a try, and they seem to work fine.


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## tim_w (Nov 28, 2018)

and yet my GP still prescribes Ventolin rather than the generic Salbutamol


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## tim_w (Nov 28, 2018)

a while ago Sheffield tried to standardise on one type of meter / test strips. 
Sadly it didn't have enough memory on it to show the consultant 3 months of tests for my driving license medical, so i swapped back


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## adelaide.jasper (Nov 28, 2018)

they cant be serious! they already tried capping the amount that we could get and now they want to stop prescribing them!!!!-  I'm type 1 and id be paying at least £120/month on testing strips! (I have a meter that can take the Ketone testing strips too- and use them frequently due to another condition which screws with the diabetes)


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## Sally71 (Nov 28, 2018)

They can't stop prescribing needles and test strips to type 1s, because that would be life threatening.  They might try to make you take some cheaper ones, which is ok if you can use them, but if you can give a good enough argument why you must have your existing brand and couldn't use another then you should be allowed to keep the same ones.


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## Robin (Nov 28, 2018)

adelaide.jasper said:


> they cant be serious! they already tried capping the amount that we could get and now they want to stop prescribing them!!!!-  I'm type 1 and id be paying at least £120/month on testing strips! (I have a meter that can take the Ketone testing strips too- and use them frequently due to another condition which screws with the diabetes)


1. It’s only a consultation document.
2. It’s only meant to include Type 2s ( not on insulin, I assume, but I'm not sure it says that )
3. It doesn’t say anything about stopping prescribing altogether, just to switch to cheaper brands.
I've already been swapped to a cheaper needle, as many CCGs were already trying to save money, and it’s fine.


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## mikeyB (Nov 28, 2018)

I’m not that bothered about test strips to be honest, they all have to work to the same standard. I don’t often use them to be honest, only for recovering from hypos. But I’m hanging on to my needles if at all possible. Shouldn’t be a problem, though. Yes, they are expensive, but a box of 100 lasts around seven months or more.


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## trophywench (Nov 28, 2018)

I have a major prob with needles - do these penny pinchers not realise that if needles aren't made to the highest standards, over years the damage they will cause to the inner skin will make it less absorbent and hence people using them will struggle trying to find places on their bodies that they can reach to inject into, which absorb insulin efficiently and hence the person will need increasing volumes of insulin to do the same job.  Insulin is also very expensive!!  ISTR one 10ml vial is about the same price to the NHS as one box of 'decent' (eg BD or Novofine) pen needles.  If you only have to inject a drug for a short while then it's going to be acceptable - but not when it's for life.

This applies to T2s as well as T1s Sally - a LOT of T2s are on insulin (quite a number of em really being LADA I bet, but not identified as such)

Meters is just impossible when you use anything hypo inducing especially - but not exclusively - if you have or want to have a driving licence.  I agree with Mike in that on MDI - doesn't matter much as long as it works and its accurate - BUT Roche pumps only work fully via the handset/meter and if you want it to calculate bolus or correction doses properly, you have to use that meter - not another one, as you can't feed your BG reading into their pumps any other way.  When it's Coventry CCG who only give me the choice of a Roche pump (I can have another make if I really want but the Clinic probably can't help me much if I do I'm told) (always think God help anyone with a Medtronic etc who happens to relocate here) so the same CCG can hardly turn round and deny me the wherewithal to use the bloody thing cos its too expensive!


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