A Guildford-based healthcare company’s blood glucose meters are now formally recommended by NHS England following an evaluation to identify the “best” testing devices for people with diabetes.

Four GlucoRx meters have been listed on new commissioning recommendations that feature “preferred” blood glucose and ketone meters, testing strips and lancets.

It follows a detailed evaluation, led by clinicians, to better understand the products available and how they meet the needs of all people living with diabetes.

The national assessment looked at both quality and cost of products, with input from diabetes specialist nurses, consultant physicians, diabetes pharmacists and people living with diabetes.

The recommended meters, strips and lancets passed a rigorous evaluation process, ensuring that only the “best of the highest quality and cost-effective devices” are approved.

The GlucoRx meters included on the recommended list are:

• GlucoRx HCT – for people with Type 1 diabetes and people with Type 2 diabetes who are prone to ketosis 
• GlucoRx Q – for people with Type 2 diabetes
• GlucoRx Nexus Blue – for people with Type 2 diabetes who require enhanced functionality, and for use in paediatrics
• GlucoRx KEYA – for people with Type 1 diabetes and people with Type 2 diabetes who are prone to ketosis. 

GlucoRx’s chief operating officer, Chris Chapman, said: “This guidance will ensure that people with diabetes have continued access to world-class meters, test strips and lancets. This is in line with GlucoRx’s ethos of effective diabetes control enabling the best treatment decisions, helping people with diabetes to live a fulfilling life.

“We’re proud to be included in these recommendations, a position which reflects the continued efforts of all at GlucoRx to provide outstanding devices that help people living with diabetes manage their condition and help to ease the burden.”

The commissioning recommendations report states that “managing the growing incidence of diabetes in England is set to be one of the major clinical challenges of the 21st century”, with predictions that by 2030, almost 9% of the population will be living with the condition.

The “scale of patient demand” prompted the national assessment of the blood glucose and ketone meters, strips, and lancets that are currently available. The findings, which were published in April, will also support the delivery of the NHS Long-Term Plan for diabetes management through the following objectives: 

• Equitable access to the same products for all eligible people, no matter where they live; 
• Minimum quality standards established in a fair and transparent way to better address the needs of all people living with diabetes;
• Prescribing practices aligned across primary and secondary care; and 
• Making best use of NHS resources, whilst ensuring that the price paid is commensurate to the quality offered.

Referring to these new national commissioning recommendations, Professor Partha Kar, NHS England’s national speciality advisor for diabetes, said: “As a clinician, I know how important monitoring and testing devices are for people living with diabetes and I am delighted that this new commissioning guidance will empower front-line staff to continue to provide world-class devices to everyone who needs them.”