The high uptake of subsidised continuous glucose monitors shows the system is working in spite of a ban on GPs signing off the paperwork, says the CEO of the Australian Diabetes Society. 

The RACGP has demanded the federal Department of Health and Aged Care let GPs approve patient access to continuous glucose monitoring devices under the $200 million-a-year National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS).

Currently, only diabetes educators, nurse practitioners practising in diabetes care, endocrinologists and paediatricians can sign applications for subsidised continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices.

But Australian Diabetes Society CEO Associate Professor Sof Andrikopoulos said uptake of CGM was still high, with 60% of adults with type 1 diabetes using CGM devices or flash monitoring last year, and only 1% failing to monitor their glucose levels in any way.