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?

They are by ensuring your BP is as it should be prior to issuing medication.

If you demand appointments for BP readings when you've been told to DIY, then yes you are a drain. If that does not apply to you, then it does not apply to you.

i actually have a blood pressure monitor at home but I still think this is an excessive demand. Most women are prescribed HRT with no tests and if your blood pressure has always been low then all these tests seem crazy. There’s no evidence that HRT raises blood pressure.

We bought 30 new sphygs last year for women to use who had raised BP as a way of them monitoring their BP during pregnancy. They were told how to use it, given paperwork regarding the readings and when they should contact the hospital. They were then asked to bring them back. It took less then 6 months for them all to go. Same with the oximeters we leant out for women to measure their sats and heart rate when they were COVID positive, and the same with TENs machines. So now we suggest the women buy them. I bought one as I'm in the pill and over 45. I see it the same as the thermometer, the oximeter (one I bought, not from work 😆) and the other medical things I have bought so I can keep an eye on my observations.

It's an electronic BP monitor and the readings are better when done at home as many people have a higher BP in clinical setting whether they like it or not.
Everyone should take responsibility for their own health and care and having a way to monitor at home is a small step.

And if the reading has been taken incorrectly, who takes responsibility? We’ve had occasions over the years when my DD’s has had to be redone because staff were either learning or equipment was faulty.

Well im nearly 51 and on the mini pill but wouldnt be if they had listened to me about being child free by choice. Ive also just started HRT

I imagine that's one reason the OP is doing 8 readings...
It's really quite hard to use a home BP monitor wrong, they are not complex.

It is not unreasonable to ask (?expect) capable adults to take some responsibility for their own health. The NHS can never be everything to everyone at everytime.

Not been told to but it has been suggested as a possible option with 1 condition which I turned it down and the doctor was fine about it.

In order to reuse the equipment, it would need to be cleaned and checked for safety and missing parts before being re-issued to another patient. Walkers, toilet frames and crutches are not expensive items and it's probably cheaper (and safer) for an NHS hospital or OT department not to take them back.

A lot of people get a far more accurate residing it at home due to 'white coat syndrome'. My readings are always higher at the GPs than at home.

I know that is what my father was told, but it’s still a waste of money. The walker is aluminium the scrap metal valve is something.
Do they throw away the ones you use in hospital?

The point is also that the absolute reading may be out on a home device compared to medical grade machinery but the relative readings will be helpful regardless. So if the home machine says 120/80 and you are taking it at a consistent time in a consistent way then if it jumps up to 180/100 for a couple of measurements you know to call the GP.
Years ago I was involved in a trial where we asked old people to take their BP because when a nurse or ambulance attended for eg a fall and their BP was super low, they would get admitted but if that was consistent with their home readings then they could review what was "normal" for that person.

But you can go to a pharmacy.

They have obviously found that one reading isn't adequate. They wouldn't make you do it for no reason.

Wouldn't work for me. My BP is consistently around 20 points higher when read 'electronically' and I have to have old-style manual BP checks. Nobody can tell me exactly why but apparently it's not unheard of.

I agree if they want you to check it at home, they should lend you a BP monitor.

Who do you think should buy it for you? Most of us just buy one - they are not expensive.

Since when? Last time I got mine it's free if you have the annual £19 prepayment cert, a full prepayment cert or of course if you're in Scotland or Wales.

Otherwise in England you have to pay the prescription charges, often for 2 medicines.

I've only ever had to get 6 monthly BP measurements but mine has only ever been fine except for the time I left work early for an appointment, drove through hideous rush hour traffic and got there about 2 minutes after my appointment time which got me a telling off from the receptionist despite the clinic running 40 minutes late.

Also if you are working then taking readings twice a day at those times could be extremely inconvenient. High blood pressure isn’t even a contraindication for HRT and this isn’t in the prescribing guidelines.

I’ve been on it a year and it’s not been measured. It’s always been on the low side though, even when pregnant 🤷‍♀️

YABU
I've had to do the same for 7 years for HRT scripts and I thought it was standard practice anyway.
The machines are easily available to buy in Boots or Amazon etc and cost around £20.
Think of it as an investment in your health.

High blood pressure isn’t the issue - oestrogen causes vascular dilation and tends to lower BP - hypotension has risks associated with it: dizziness, fainting or - erm - death…

If your situation is dire you could see if there are any schemes that could help with emergency grants or loans. Ask the receptionist at your surgery if they know of anything
I have a disability & need certain equipment. It's a myth that the NHS provides equipment for free .

It’s interesting g that when I saw my GP for my medication review, which was just HRT, she took my blood pressure. And never any of this taking it at home. Now the pharmacist does the review and they want 4 days worth. If I didn’t have a machine I could see the nurse a week before for a one off recording..
And guess what? The pharmacist took my blood pressure and never asked for the readings at all…

You’ll get more accurate readings at home.
They are not expensive and every house should have one if you’re middle-aged plus, which presumably you are, and you can afford it.