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Friday, 2 August 2013

Diabetics' access to blood glucose test strips 'restricted'

"Access to blood glucose test strips vital to help diabetics manage their condition is being restricted against government guidance, a charity says. Of about 2,200 people who answered a question about the strips as part of a survey for Diabetes UK, 39% had had prescriptions refused or restricted.It says restrictions are being imposed by local health managers to save money. But a spokesman representing Clinical Commissioning Groups said the strips had been over-prescribed in the past. It comes after Health Minister Anna Soubry told MPs the restriction of access to the testing strips was "unacceptable". Following this, the Department of Health wrote to all GPs in England telling them that prescriptions for the testing strips should be on the basis of clinical need and not restricted."


Link to full story here.

1 comment:

Galina L. said...

I think test strips should be used more by general population (I do not expect that a Government should necessary pick up that bill). I took the meter with me when I persuaded my mom who is not a diabetic to stop eating oatmeal for her breakfast. Her blood sugar was way off after the oatmeal, but normal after eggs, cheese, cold cuts. Since then her health improved, no flues, good blood pressure, ovarian cyst and small mioma disappeared. I met a woman diagnosed with hypoglycemia who was treated with anty-anxiety meds instead. Abnormal blood sugar levels are at the root of health problems for many, diabetics are just more noticeable part.