I have worked for a number of NHS Trusts within community nursing and whilst most of the time we use the usual glucometers, in one of the Trusts we used a small meter that was on top of the test strip pot, which was a bit of a waste…. Ie thirty tests and we were throwing away the meter, I did decide to consider collecting them up and at least putting them in the WEEE locally, but we were told that wasn’t possible.
So therefore waste plastic plus batteries and electronics in the ordinary waste.
At least with the usual monitors it’s only testing strips.
Freestyle Libre always great for patients own use but as there is a delay (approximately 15 minutes behind), we still have to use our monitors with patients and not rely upon the Libre sensor.
Plus checking Ketones too.
I am very aware of public health and prevention, I wonder if we should within greening healthcare we need to concentrate on reducing Type 2 diabetes, which takes up the most costs, and that leaves us to educate our patients/ public about diet, smoking, exercise etc to Reduce T2DM.
Testing strips is the thin edge of the problems within diabetes management, I always think about the constant leg ulcer multi bandaging I have to do for many of my elderly patients, leg ulcers that are dressed sometimes daily for many years, with diabetes.
On the concept of alternative monitoring, I believe that there has been development with wearable devices that work on GSR ( Galvanic Skin Response), but not sure how far it has got.
I would still prefer to put preventive measures at the top of a green health agenda.
Thanks Harriet, absolutely agree, meters are thin edge of wedge and I would question their use at all in most Type 2 diabetics. Prevent of diabetes in first place definitely a priority. The query arose from a colleague in primary care - locally they have changed the types or meters/strips they prescribe so he is left with a load of unused meters which no-one wants. Asa first step he is going to contact manufacturers to see if they can re-use/re-purpose.
Nuala
I have worked for a number of NHS Trusts within community nursing and whilst most of the time we use the usual glucometers, in one of the Trusts we used a small meter that was on top of the test strip pot, which was a bit of a waste…. Ie thirty tests and we were throwing away the meter, I did decide to consider collecting them up and at least putting them in the WEEE locally, but we were told that wasn’t possible.
So therefore waste plastic plus batteries and electronics in the ordinary waste.
At least with the usual monitors it’s only testing strips.
Freestyle Libre always great for patients own use but as there is a delay (approximately 15 minutes behind), we still have to use our monitors with patients and not rely upon the Libre sensor.
Plus checking Ketones too.
I am very aware of public health and prevention, I wonder if we should within greening healthcare we need to concentrate on reducing Type 2 diabetes, which takes up the most costs, and that leaves us to educate our patients/ public about diet, smoking, exercise etc to Reduce T2DM.
Testing strips is the thin edge of the problems within diabetes management, I always think about the constant leg ulcer multi bandaging I have to do for many of my elderly patients, leg ulcers that are dressed sometimes daily for many years, with diabetes.
On the concept of alternative monitoring, I believe that there has been development with wearable devices that work on GSR ( Galvanic Skin Response), but not sure how far it has got.
I would still prefer to put preventive measures at the top of a green health agenda.
Thanks Harriet, absolutely agree, meters are thin edge of wedge and I would question their use at all in most Type 2 diabetics. Prevent of diabetes in first place definitely a priority. The query arose from a colleague in primary care - locally they have changed the types or meters/strips they prescribe so he is left with a load of unused meters which no-one wants. Asa first step he is going to contact manufacturers to see if they can re-use/re-purpose.
Nuala
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