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Bedfordshire and Luton Joint Formulary
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB
Formulary Chapter: 6 - Endocrine system 
Notes:

Any drug not listed on the Formulary should be considered Non-Formulary - Not recommended for prescribing
06.01.06 Diagnostic and monitoring agents for diabetes mellitus
Insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) equipment: guidance for users on reporting suspected adverse incidents and safety concerns to the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme NICE CG10: Type 2 diabetes - footcare NICE CG15: Type 1 diabetes in children and young people NICE NG17: Type 1 diabetes in adults: diagnosis and management NICE NG18: Diabetes (type 1 and type 2) in children and young people: diagnosis and management NICE NG19: Diabetic foot problems: prevention and management NICE NG28 Type 2 diabetes in adults: management NICE NG3: Diabetes in pregnancy: management from preconception to the postnatal period
06.01.06 Blood glucose monitoring
Insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) equipment: guidance for users on reporting suspected adverse incidents and safety concerns to the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme NICE CG10: Type 2 diabetes - footcare NICE CG15: Type 1 diabetes in children and young people NICE NG17: Type 1 diabetes in adults: diagnosis and management NICE NG18: Diabetes (type 1 and type 2) in children and young people: diagnosis and management NICE NG19: Diabetic foot problems: prevention and management NICE NG28 Type 2 diabetes in adults: management NICE NG3: Diabetes in pregnancy: management from preconception to the postnatal period

Blood Glucose Testing Meters and strips

GREEN
Formulary

Please see local guidance for choice of meters and testing strips

  • Category 1a & 1b - Meters and strips which are suitable for most people with type 1 and ketosis prone type 2 diabetes. Most people with T1DM (especially if at risk of DKA) will need a meter with a ketone testing functionality even if using a CGM device. Also included in this category are those who may have received structured education on additional functionality such as carbohydrate counting.
  • Category 2 - Meters and strips which are suitable for most people with Type 2 diabetes (~ 90% of eligible T2DM patients will be suitable for these meters)
  • Category 3 - Meters and strips which are suitable for people with Type 2 diabetes that require additional functionality.

Group

Meter

Testing Strips

Lancets

1

4Sure Smart Duo

4SURE strips

4SURE ß-Ketone strips

4SURE (0.32mm/30G & 0.195mm/33G

 

Care Sens Dual

CareSens PRO strips

KetoSens strips(ketones)

CareSens (0.36mm/28G & 0.31mm/30G)

 

 

 

 

2

Finetest Lite Smart

Finetest Lite strips

Greenlan(28G)

 

 

CareSens S Fit BT

CareSens S strips

CareSens (0.36mm/28G & 0.31mm/30G)

 

Contour Plus Blue

Contour Plus strips

Microlet (0.5mm/28G)

 

 

GlucoRx Q

 

 

GlucoRx Q strips

GlucoRx 0.31mm/30G

 

 

Palmdoc 2

Palmdoc strips

Palmdoc(0.38mm/30G)

 

 

 

 

3

Wavesense Jazz(wireless)

WaveSense JAZZ strips

AgaMatrix Ultra-Thin (0.2mm/33G & 0.35mm/28G)

 

Palmdoc 2 - for multilingual/speaking features

Palmdoc strips

Palmdoc(0.38mm/30G)

 

GlucoRx Nexus Voice (2nd line option speaking meter registered blind/ visually impaired)

GlucoRx Nexus Strips

GlucoRx 0.31mm/30G

 

BNF BNFc SPC

Real time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) (Dexcom ONE Plus®)

Amber SPA
Restricted Drug Restricted

For use in accordance with the locally agreed recommendations on CGM

Dexcom ONE+ sensor has a sensor wear of 10 days. QUANTITY: 3 SENSORS per month. If sensors fall off within the 10-day period they are replaced at no cost by Dexcom, see below details of the product support.

For technical support or replacement enquiries, please contact Dexcom on 0800 031 5763 (Mon to Fri: 7:00 AM to 18:00. Sat, Sun & Bank Holidays : 8:00 AM to 16:30) or complete a Product Support Request

(Note : Dexcom will provide a maximum of two (2) goodwill replacement sensors in a twelve (12) month period, any requests above this threshold would be treated on an individual basis).

Entry reviewed: November 2025

BNF BNFc SPC
BLMK Blood Glucose Monitoring recommendations

Real time continuous glucose monitoring system (Freestyle Libre 2 Plus)

Amber SPA
Restricted Drug Restricted

For use in accordance with the locally agreed recommendations on CGM.

Information regarding Freestyle Libre 2 Plus sensor:

FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus sensor is an upgraded sensor (previously Freesyle Libre 2). It has an extended sensor wear of 15 days and is more accurate. QUANTITY: 2 SENSORS per month. The FreeStyle LibreLink app and the FreeStyle Libre 2 reader work with the new sensor; no app updates or change of reader are required.

If sensors fall off within the 15-day period they are replaced at no cost by Abbot, details of the care line below.

 

Patient Customer Careline for FreeStyle Libre sensor support and replacement is open 7 days per week

Telephone: 0800 170 1177 (Mon to Fri: 8:00 AM to 20:00. Sat, Sunday & Bank Holidays: 9:00 AM to 17:00)

https://www.freestyle.abbott/uk-en/support/contact.html

 

 Entry reviewed: November 2025

 

BNF BNFc SPC
BLMK Blood Glucose Monitoring recommendations

Real time continuous glucose monitoring system (FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus® )

Amber SPA
Restricted Drug Restricted

For use in accordance with the locally agreed recommendations on CGM:

For Type 1 Diabetes where a patient requires a standalone real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) system - Ages  2 -3yrs only and as an option in smaller children

For Type 1 Diabetes where the patient has a compatible insulin pump and is eligible for Hybrid Closed Loop (HCL) system, as directed by their specialist diabetes team.

If sensors fall off within the 15-day period they are replaced at no cost by Abbot, details of the care line below.

Patient Customer Careline for FreeStyle Libre sensor support and replacement is open 7 days per week

Telephone: 0800 170 1177 (Mon to Fri: 8:00 AM to 20:00. Sat, Sunday & Bank Holidays: 9:00 AM to 17:00)

https://www.freestyle.abbott/uk-en/support/contact.html

Freestyle Libre 3® are due to be discontinued by end of 2025.

Entry reviewed: May 2025

BNF BNFc SPC
BLMK Blood Glucose Monitoring recommendations
06.01.06 Urinalysis
06.01.06 Oral glucose tolerance test
Classifications
GREEN
May be initiated in any care setting
Amber SPA
Specialist to advise therapy and provide first 28 days supply, continuation in Primary Care
Amber SPIS
Specialist to initiate and stabilise medicine prior to continuation in Primary Care
SCG
To be prescribed as per Shared Care Guidance. If no SCG in place status reverts to red.
RED
Red medicines are designated as specialist only medicines which should only be prescribed by a specialist, usually within secondary care (either due to the requirement for specialist knowledge, long-term monitoring requirements, or restrictions that mean medicine supplies are only available to hospitals).
DNP
A decision has been made either locally and/or nationally not to routinely commission this preparation. Do not prescribe.
SELF
To be purchased over the counter. May be prescribed for chronic, long term conditions or on admission to hospital if essential.