# FreeStyle Libre on the NHS?



## debi37 (Sep 7, 2022)

hi I'm new to this I have been using freestyle libre sensor that I've buying myself, I asked my diabetes nurse if I could get them on prescription but she says I don't qualify as have type 2. the practice nurse said that they are £35 to buy through NHS, how do I go about doing that and if I bought a yearly prescription card from chemist could I buy them that way, any advice appreciated


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## Lucyr (Sep 7, 2022)

debi37 said:


> hi I'm new to this I have been using freestyle libre sensor that I've buying myself, I asked my diabetes nurse if I could get them on prescription but she says I don't qualify as have type 2. the practice nurse said that they are £35 to buy through NHS, how do I go about doing that and if I bought a yearly prescription card from chemist could I buy them that way, any advice appreciated


You can’t buy them through the NHS without a prescription. You would need to buy through Abbot, they’re just under £50 each. The NHS pays £35 as they’ve negotiated that price since they’re buying large quantities. It’s not the price for the general public.


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## rebrascora (Sep 7, 2022)

debi37 said:


> hi I'm new to this I have been using freestyle libre sensor that I've buying myself, I asked my diabetes nurse if I could get them on prescription but she says I don't qualify as have type 2. the practice nurse said that they are £35 to buy through NHS, how do I go about doing that and if I bought a yearly prescription card from chemist could I buy them that way, any advice appreciated


Hi and welcome to the forum.

I wonder if @everydayupsanddowns or another member of staff could split your post off into it's own thread where it may get more appropriate replies than this thread which is about pumps.

Can you tell us a bit more about your diabetes management @debi37 Things like how long you have been diagnosed and what, if any, medication you are on?
There are circumstances where a Type 2 diabetic on Multiple Daily Injections (MDI) of insulin might possibly qualify for Libre on prescription but you would need to fit quite strict criteria and even then, probably need to be persistent in pushing to get it. Many of us self funded until we got it on prescription and at £50 a sensor it isn't cheap, but for me it was absolutely worthwhile, even on low income.
As mentioned by @Lucyr the £35 is a discounted price negotiated specifically by the NHS but you would not be able to purchase it from the NHS, so it would not be available to you at that price.

I think it may eventually become more available to Type 2 diabetics on insulin but at the moment they are mostly extending the prescribing of it to Type 1 diabetics.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Sep 8, 2022)

rebrascora said:


> I wonder if @everydayupsanddowns or another member of staff could split your post off into it's own thread where it may get more appropriate replies than this thread which is about pumps.



Thanks @Cherrelle DUK for leaping into action and splitting the thread 

Yes the £35 is a specially negotiated bulk price for the NHS, and it isn’t possible for members of the public to buy them at that price.

There is updated NICE guidance for people with T2 diabetes some of whom may now qualify for access to Libre on prescription.

*For adults with type 2 diabetes:*​​Offer intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM, commonly referred to as ‘flash’) to adults with type 2 diabetes on multiple daily insulin injections if any of the following apply:​​• they have recurrent hypoglycaemia or severe hypoglycaemia​• they have impaired hypoglycaemia awareness​• they have a condition or disability (including a learning disability or cognitive impairment) that means they cannot self-monitor their blood glucose by capillary blood glucose monitoring but could use an isCGM device (or have it scanned for them)​• they would otherwise be advised to self-measure at least 8 times a day.​​Link: Type 2 diabetes in adults: management – glucose monitoring​​
This is the first time NICE has ever recommended Flash use for anyone with type 2 diabetes so it’s a pretty exciting change.

It is expected that any rollout of recommendations in these updated guidelines for improved access to monitoring won’t happen immediately, and access will still be an individual clinical decision, and be subject to the relevant criteria.

It’s gonna take some time!!


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## pippaandben (Sep 9, 2022)

I am a type 2 of 11 years and am one person who is very thankful to covid as it has meant referral to a diabetes clinic with multiple phone consultations- over 30 in 13 months. The upshot being that they recommended me to the CCG for a flash meter and within 2 weeks I was notified of my appointment which will be on 5 October. Can anyone advise me of the questions I need to ask at this appointment to get maximum benefit. I have read the data on the Abbot website and do not have a smart phone so will need a reader.


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## Bruce Stephens (Sep 9, 2022)

pippaandben said:


> Can anyone advise me of the questions I need to ask at this appointment to get maximum benefit.


If they offer a bit of training that's a benefit (applying the first sensor, or watching you while you do it). You might also want to find out if they have a practice code for LibreView. Presuming you can upload data to LibreView that lets you share the data with them. (Depends a bit on what device you're offered. I'm guessing it might be basically a limited Android smartphone (with just LibreLink on it) in which case it probably lets you upload via WiFi. The older reader/glucometer needs plugging into a computer.)

Otherwise the various videos are probably best: how to interpret the arrows and so on.


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## Nige13 (Sep 9, 2022)

Hi, I've just ordered a Freestyle Libre 2 on the free trial to see how it goes - Mainly got to put on before I go on holiday at the end of the month so no finger pricking etc for two weeks ( hopefully ) let's hope it doesn't fall off in the pool


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## Martin62 (Sep 9, 2022)

Nige13 said:


> Hi, I've just ordered a Freestyle Libre 2 on the free trial to see how it goes - Mainly got to put on before I go on holiday at the end of the month so no finger pricking etc for two weeks ( hopefully ) let's hope it doesn't fall off in the pool


Hope your free trial goes well, it shouldn't come off in the swimming pool , have a great holiday .


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## Nige13 (Sep 12, 2022)

Martin62 said:


> Hope your free trial goes well, it shouldn't come off in the swimming pool , have a great holiday .


Thank you for your kind words - #fingerscrossed


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## helli (Sep 12, 2022)

Nige13 said:


> Hi, I've just ordered a Freestyle Libre 2 on the free trial to see how it goes - Mainly got to put on before I go on holiday at the end of the month so no finger pricking etc for two weeks ( hopefully ) let's hope it doesn't fall off in the pool


If you want no finger pricking, you may be disappointed. I strongly recommend taking your finger prick meter with you on holiday and using it occasional to check the accuracy of your LIbre and double checking any high (above about 9) or low (below 4) readings as the senors are calibrated for "normal" levels.


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## Nige13 (Sep 12, 2022)

helli said:


> If you want no finger pricking, you may be disappointed. I strongly recommend taking your finger prick meter with you on holiday and using it occasional to check the accuracy of your LIbre and double checking any high (above about 9) or low (below 4) readings as the senors are calibrated for "normal" levels.


Hi
I will 100% be taking my Accu-Chek with me anyway - incase the Libre came off


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## Lucyr (Sep 12, 2022)

Not sure that a holiday is the best time to learn about your diabetes to be honest! You’d probably get more use from the libre if you use it after your holiday when you’re in your normal routine and can act on the results and trends to make changes that improve your blood sugars.

 All using it on holiday will tell you is that when your out of routine, eating foods you probably wouldn’t normally, your bg reacts differently. Except you haven’t a normal to compare it to so you’ll have no concept of whether it’s a good difference or bad difference.


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## helli (Sep 12, 2022)

@Lucyr my reading of Nige's criteria is to avoid finger pricking when on holiday not to learn BG patterns. 
It is nice to be able to do both but when you only have Libre for a 2 weeks trial, you don;t get much chance to learn patterns.


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## Lucyr (Sep 12, 2022)

helli said:


> @Lucyr my reading of Nige's criteria is to avoid finger pricking when on holiday not to learn BG patterns.
> It is nice to be able to do both but when you only have Libre for a 2 weeks trial, you don;t get much chance to learn patterns.


But given @Nige13 only tests to learn patterns and improve blood sugars through changing diet not to calculate insulin doses, there wouldn’t be much need to fingerprick test on holiday anyway unless feeling unwell / the odd spot check to keep an eye on it. Holidays aren’t really when you fingerprick to learn from patterns in bgs.


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## Nige13 (Sep 12, 2022)

Lucyr said:


> Not sure that a holiday is the best time to learn about your diabetes to be honest! You’d probably get more use from the libre if you use it after your holiday when you’re in your normal routine and can act on the results and trends to make changes that improve your blood sugars.
> 
> All using it on holiday will tell you is that when your out of routine, eating foods you probably wouldn’t normally, your bg reacts differently. Except you haven’t a normal to compare it to so you’ll have no concept of whether it’s a good difference or bad difference.


I dont want it to learn about my diabetes - I already know about it. I just want it to help a little in the way of less finger pricking thats all  and I was curious about them.


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## Lucyr (Sep 12, 2022)

Nige13 said:


> I dont want it to learn about my diabetes - I already know about it. I just want it to help a little in the way of less finger pricking thats all  and I was curious about them.


If you already know enough about your diabetes, then why are you fingerpricking so much that you need the libre to reduce fingerpricks on holidays?

The point of fingerpricking when not on meds that need adjusting eg insulin, is to learn what does and doesn’t work for you. If you already know that, then you can reduce the fingerpricks, because they’re not telling you anything you don’t know. 

Being curious about the libre is fine, and it might tell you things you hadn’t realised from the fingerpricks. But, you do need to think about how you’ll use the information you gain to improve things. If you’re not acting on the information, you may find it just adds stress to see spikes that you’re not going to improve.


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## Nige13 (Sep 12, 2022)

Lucyr said:


> If you already know enough about your diabetes, then why are you fingerpricking so much that you need the libre to reduce fingerpricks on holidays?
> 
> The point of fingerpricking when not on meds that need adjusting eg insulin, is to learn what does and doesn’t work for you. If you already know that, then you can reduce the fingerpricks, because they’re not telling you anything you don’t know.
> 
> Being curious about the libre is fine, and it might tell you things you hadn’t realised from the fingerpricks. But, you do need to think about how you’ll use the information you gain to improve things. If you’re not acting on the information, you may find it just adds stress to see spikes that you’re not going to improve.


My nurse asked me too!


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