To think we shouldn’t have to buy our own blood pressure machines

[TangoTarantella]

Had a text from the GP surgery this morning to say that to re-authorise my HRT prescription I need to provide daily blood pressure readings at 9am and 6pm for 4 consecutive days. I rang the surgery and asked how I was supposed to do this and they said I had to buy a blood pressure machine (as if it was the most normal thing in the world). I was gobsmacked. Am I unreasonable to think I shouldn’t have to pay for medical equipment that I don’t want? Has anyone else had this?

At home we have
-thermometer
-BP machine
-pulse oximeter
-blood glucose monitor
-blood ketone meter
-urine testing strips
-peak flow meter

It makes sense to have certain things as can really help to work out what / if medical help is needed

Alternatively,do what other people do and lie.

Get your BP taken properly in the surgery reception area. Then just supply those figures +/- 1 for subsequent days readings.

That is no different to you having one reading taken every 6 months.

No wonder the NHS is on it's knees.

This doesn’t surprise me. I had preeclampsia with my DD and was rehospitalised a few days after birth due to still having high BP and my reflexes weren’t normal. After being discharged to my GP on medication, I was told by the consultant that I needed to contact them about having my BP checked regularly, getting more meds prescribed etc. Firstly, it took a few days to actually get a GP appointment, which was a telephone appointment, even though I requested a face to face so they could check my BP, but they point blank refused! Then on the phone the GP said just buy a BP monitor and if it goes above this then ring us. When the midwife came out to do another check she was livid!

They don't cost much to buy. I was advised to buy an oxygen saturation monitor for DD. Best £25 I spent. It has ment I have avoided ringing an ambulance a number of times.

I'm sorry, this boils my blood.
You mean, you want everyone else to pay for your basic medical equipment.
Be grateful we are funding your HRT, if you were paying for that it would run into thousands.

It's the same with those who demand free paracetamol, it's bloody 50p in any supermarket but it costs the NHS about £9 to process your request.

I kept my immune-suppressed elderly mother out of hospital when she had Covid because she had BP monitor, oxymeter and thermometer at home.

How do you expect the NHS to fund every single thing. People also expect to have moisturising creams and paracetamol for free too.
The NHS is broke. Take responsibility for yourself.
You should be checking your own blood pressure anyway. High blood pressure is called the silent killer for a reason.

You could try telling them you can't afford it and do they have a small one you could borrow and then never give it back. After all the NHS can afford to dish out this kind of kit.

Nurse here. You see TangoTarantella, lots of GPs used to provide these machines but delightful people took it upon themselves not to return them, therefore making it crap for everyone else. Buying more and more in this instance would be a waste of already stretched resources would it not??? Wanting the NHS to provide a proper service nowadays on the absolute piss take budget they have to work with is the equivalent of expecting pigs to fly.

That's crazy! Our chemist and sugery have one with print outs. I would ring around to find one, them drop off the print outs at the surgery. If not explain you cannot afford to buy one, and need nurse appointments.

Exactly this. Most people don't realise that walking frames and toilet frames have a life expectancy of about 2 years after which the pins that adjust the height can fail die to metal fatigue or corrosion.
They cost about £15 to buy in bulk, it would cost the NHS a lot more if they are sued for issuing faulty second hand equipment.

I only have to supply one reading, which I get done at a local pharmacy. Eight over four consecutive days seems over the top.

I think it’s worst that asthmatics have to buy their own inhalers when they keep them alive compared (I’m not asthmatic but I do have diabetes and this fully shocked me) most other things we should have to pay for like people who get paracetamol on prescription for example. This one I think we should have to buy our own as there is free options such as in boots and Asda near me bathroom which contain a blood pressure machine x

When you say ‘we’, who do you mean?

This isn't great though is it ?

Here are your readings OP 121/84 138/ 81 131/94 118/93 etc.

This reminds me when I was in a&e last year of someone asking staff if they provided face cream!

They can’t provide a proper service. They haven’t been able to provide a proper service for years now.

Surely you don’t live under a rock?

I've not read all the responses, but untreated high BP is a real concern (and I believe low BP is an even bigger concern), leading to numerous health conditions and emergency hospital admissions.

There are enough inexpensive BP monitors on the market to avoid anyone getting on their high horse about buying one. Seriously, what price health?

For the record, my monitor is an Omron with an Intelli Wrap cuff (saves messing around with a floppy cuff). There is also a free Omron app which records your readings.

Im on HRT too. But considering ive paid for my own mini pill paid for my own esomaprazole by buying both OTC AND am child free by choice so i havent used maternity services i guess it evens out

You really should be careful with who you come out with that shit to Because you dont know them their lives or what else they have been paying for

Everyone who pays tax.

You sure they didnt mean fucidin cream. With the patient blaming on here i dont trust people not to twist things

I'm on HRT myself and I'm not in any way patient shaming.
I am very grateful that it is largely funded for me.
I would not be quibbling over a £20 monitor.

I thankfully haven’t needed to use the NHS much. Which is perhaps why I am noticing the contrast between now and a few years ago.

Despite several PPs accusations that it’s the fault of people like me that the NHS is on its knees. Actually I rarely use it, haven’t had a face-to-face appointment and have been paying for my own private prescriptions.