Advice and feedback please!
In a similar vein Our practice has a new patient who is diabetic. He
self tests blood glucose 7 -8 x daily. His previous GP supplied him
with 10 cans of testing strips (50 per can) every 8 weeks (cost approx.
25ukp per can) and he has expected us to do the same. We have
challenged his use pointing out 3-4 x daily testing would be ample and
reducing his script to 4 cans. He wrote a very strong letter saying we
would be responsible for a deterioration in the tight control targets he
set for himself and demanding reinstatement of his 10 cans. "a regime
his previous GP had instituted".
We caved in for the quiet life. We wrote to the hospital diabetic
clinic he attends explaining his use (abuse ?) No change. We have asked
him to attend the practice diabetic clinic, he doesn't and/or won't. We
still feel his use is a waste of NHS resource to no clear benefit but as
the abuse is of money rather than a harmful substance feel rather torn!
Clearly he is a very obsessive individual who feels his use justified.
What should we do. Do people feel we would be justified advising him
that if he wishes to test himself this frequently he will have to fund
the additional cans over and above 3-4 test strips per day himself? Can
we legally do that. Clearly persuading him that his frequent testing is
of little benefit would be best but I suspect like most 'substance
abusers' he will not respond to logical reasoned debate.
Roger Leary. GP,
>Shahid has told us all of his experiences trying to persuade a few
awkward
>customers that ranitidine and Zantac are the same, and just as
effective as
>each other when prescribed appropriately. Those that cannot understand
the
>argument, or who chose to refuse the logic, or who fail to appreciate
that
>there is anything other than their own point of view, to not deserve
his
>help.
>
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