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East and North Herts

FOI Reply (full text):

Our current guidance is available here:

On 7th March, NHS England issued further guidance regarding the funding of Freestyle Libre, which the CCG is in the process of reviewing within its accepted governance processes regarding prescribing decisions. The process will allow appropriate specialist review and consultation to decide how the NHS England guidance might be implemented across Hertfordshire.

The website says:

Update 24/05 - still waiting!

Dear Mr Cahm

Thank you for your email dated 19th May 2019 regarding your enquiry into the prescribing policy for FreeStyle Libre for East and North Hertfordshire patients.

Please be assured you r email has been shared with me in the Nursing and Quality team and I have logged this enquiry.  I have shared with our Medicines Optimisation team and hope to provide you with a response shortly.

If there is anything I can assist with please do not hesitate to contact me.

Update 30/05 - hardly worth the wait!!

Following on from my email dated 24th May 2019 I am now in a position to respond regarding your enquiry about the prescribing of FreeStyle Libre.

East and North Hertfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (ENHCCG are aware of the announcements in November 2018 by NHS England regarding the availability of FreeStyle Libre® for certain people with type 1 diabetes.  Whilst awaiting further guidance from NHS England, ENHCCG have been implementing local recommendations for FreeStyle Libre® and recommending prescribing for appropriate patients since October 2018. To date our current records show that approximately 60 ENHCCG patients are being prescribed FreeStyle Libre®.

Further details regarding the current local recommendations can be found on the ENHCCG website at http://www.enhertsccg.nhs.uk/endocrine-system
A Frequently asked Questions document for patients is also available at this link; the documents provide full information on current patient groups, agreed criteria, supply and funding recommendations.

Following the March 2019 publication of the NHS England funding arrangements for FreeStyle Libre®, I can confirm that ENHCCG’s stance remains the same until revised guidance is agreed and ratified. This means that GP prescribing is currently not recommended.  FreeStyle Libre® is to be initiated, managed and supplied by a hospital Trust consultant led specialist diabetes team only.

I would however, like to assure you that ENHCCG is in the process of urgently reviewing and updating their current guidance and prescribing recommendations for FreeStyle Libre®. 

In line with the CCG’s accepted and required governance processes for local prescribing decisions, revised guidance requires review and ratification by the Hertfordshire Medicines Management Committee and the respective Hertfordshire CCG Governing Bodies.  ENHCCG intends to complete this process as a priority by the end of June 2019. Once the implementation process is complete the revised patient groups and criteria will be published on the ENHCCG website at the following link. https://www.enhertsccg.nhs.uk/endocrine-system

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