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?

There has certainly been a change in the NHS. In previous years, they wouldn't have had nearly as many of us on hrt. They wouldn't have been able to collect four consecutive day's blood pressure readings because that was unfeasible. Now we have inexpensive machines that can take the readings in our homes. It keeps us safer. I consider it progress. Hrt has also become a good deal cheaper. I pay £19 A YEAR!
If course there are huge problems facing the NHS. Not least it being sold off bit by bit. But the population changes, technology changes and the way we monitor our health changes.

Every six months I was on HRT I needed at least one reading. I had something else wrong with me and needed a week of readings.

Given pandemic, it wasnt viable for me to see a nurse for the at least one reading, so I had to buy my monitor then.
Also used for partners high blood pressure. Has needed new batteries each year we have had it, so not a bad idea to have one.

I'm thinking about buying an oxymeter <<<spelling?
Because if you get a terrible cold or the flu or even a high temperature, your often asked about oxygen levels. They too are cheap.

A one off reading does not tell us enough. To get a clear idea of what your blood pressure is doing we need at least 4 days of am and pm readings.
If you are in HRT then this increases your really risk of hypertension plus you are at an age when hypertension can start to be an issue for people.
Untreated hypertension is one of leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the UK and world in fact.
You are moaning about the NHS yet it is doing exactly what it should be doing to help you prevent strokes, cardiac arrests, heart failure, chronic kidney disease and reduce your risk of dementia.
But hey you moan that they aren’t going to do those twice a readings for you for the sake of 15-20 quid 🤷‍♀️

Well in the olden days you couldn’t do your own blood pressure easily as it was done with a mercury sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope. No HCP would have expected you to do your own.

Not the case now it’s all electronic! Crikey some people can even check their pulse and oxygen sats vi their watch.

Times change…

Oh and we had a load of blood pressure monitors but patients just wouldn’t bring them back 🤷‍♀️

Exactly, help yourself a bit. It's useful to have one at home too.

The NhS is not a magical unicorn that can provide everything to everyone. You have an easy solution. We have one at home which has proved handy. Take some personal responsibility for your health

Yes get one!

The oxymeter was lifesaving for us at one point. Helped us get urgent medical help when all other symptoms "appeared normal"

not really, if you need to get constant readings done, then it is so much more efficient for everyobody if you simply do them yourself at home

How do you pay £19 a year?? I pay 2 x prescription fees every 3 months and also have buy extra patches online (as recommended by physician associate) because the patches fall off when they get wet so I need more than are prescribed.

To answer PP question, I’ve been on HRT for about 3 years and have previously only need to do a BP reading every 6 months which I did myself at machine in GP waiting room.

🙄

Tbf they're handy to have in and they don't cost a lot.

@TangoTarantella the NHS menopause prepayment certificate. You can buy it online.

Also if your patches come off that easily have you considering switching to the gel?

Thanks @sidge I’ll ask about that

I was told in Nov last year i had to use a ambulatory blood pressure monitor for a day. The surgery will loan it out, it's on a waiting list. I'm still on that list.

You can go to surgery and get blood pressure taken in reception, the machine is there for everyone to use

or borrow a machine from friend or buy a machine

I’ve ordered a £10 one off amazon now. Thanks for the feedback. I posted to ask if I was being unreasonable and the consensus is that I was.

There's a HRT prepayment certificate. https://www.gov.uk/get-a-ppc/hrt-ppc

They used to give you a blood pressure monitor for a few days which gave regular readings until recently, Now it's all DIY and lesser, like everything else

You seem to have missed the second half of the sentence "one reading would be taken at the annual medication review."

The point is that an annual medication review covers more than just a BP reading. Its a review of changes, health etc with respect for that medication. The point of regular medical reviews was to reduce future load (and is precisely why insurance backed systems often include them - they save money over time).

Replacing them with three or four mundane self assessed questions and a self measured BP negates the point of the review and simply ticks a box. Just scrap annual reviews if that is what they are to be.

Incidentally any time I've had to supply BP its been absolutely that - one off reading at the surgery.

Your attitude towards spending £20 to monitor your own health to ensure the medication you have been prescribed for a very reduced rate compared to other countries show exactly how the nhs is totally fucked.

I bet you go to get paracetamol prescribed as well.

And this is why the NHS is on its knees- if everyone didn't have this attitude about minor stuff it would free up so much money for more services.

@Stanleycupsarecool

Crossed posted but you said it much better than me

So go to a pharmacy. It’s only for 4 days. It’s annoying but your health is more important than your annoyance.

Or stump up £20.