According to a new report by Diabetes UK, test strips are being denied or rationed by the NHS to save money. In response to this, a new website has been launched that offers low priced glucose test strips to enable patients to continue their regular testing.
National Diagnostic Products, the Australian manufacturer of Betachek, today launched an effort to help diabetes patients that have been refused a prescription for testing strips or had their prescription restricted.
The Diabetes UK report found that one in five people with diabetes who responded to a survey had either been refused a prescription for blood glucose test strips, or had their prescription restricted.
The new site www.betachek.com/uk offers a range of glucose testing systems from as little as £6.50 per 50 tests. This compares to a usual price of approximately £20.
“Many people struggle to manage their diabetes due to the cost of testing supplies. We have reviewed the current situation and believe we have a solution in the form of a direct to customer sales model, that will significantly reduce the cost of diabetes test strips. Good control of glucose levels requires regular testing” a spokesman for the company said.
Approximately 3.8 million people in the UK have diabetes. People who take insulin to treat their diabetes are advised to test their blood glucose levels between two and six times per day to determine when they need to take insulin. People on oral medications should also regularly test their blood glucose levels as this provides insight into the effects of their lifestyle on their diabetes and is crucial to prevent some of the long term complications associated with diabetes.
Unfortunately due to cost constraints, testing is being discouraged and limited for many people.
