Blood Glucose Test Strips Quantities for Diabetes - Version number 1 - June 2025 - Monitoring requirements when driving

Sep 18, 2026

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Guidance for providing appropriate quantities of blood glucose test strips for people with diabetes, focused on safe self-monitoring around driving. Requirements vary by diabetes management type: diet controlled, non-insulin injections/tablets, oral agents with hypoglycaemia risk, insulin treated diabetes, and those using real-time or intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring. It also sets clear driving-related testing intervals, device expectations, and actions if hypoglycaemia is experienced, plus practice review recommendations to adjust prescriptions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Monitoring requirements when driving

Management of diabetes by group

Where monitoring is required

Practice review

Quantity of strips on prescription

Suggested actions by patient group

Abbreviation terms

Further reading

Blood Glucose Test Strips Quantities for Diabetes June 2025 Version number 1 Lead author: Integrated Care Board-Medicines Optimisation Team Date approved by Integrated Medicines Optimisation Group (IMOG): 2nd April 2025 Date ratified by Health and Care Senate: 12th June 2025 Date of review: June 2027 Monitoring requirements when driving | Management of diabetes | Group 1 – Cars and motorbikes | Group 2 – Passenger carrying vehicles: Taxis/private hire, buses, coaches, large goods vehicles: lorries and horse
boxes. | | --- | --- | --- | | Diabetes managed by diet | No requirement | No requirement | | Diabetes managed by non-insulin injections and oral tablets (Metformin, DPP-4 inhibitors (gliptins), SGLT-2 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists, and non-insulin injectables) | No requirement however may be assessed individually. | No requirement however may be assessed individually. | | Diabetes managed by oral tablets carrying a hypoglycaemia risk (Including sulphonylureas and glinides) | Should offer self-monitoring of glucose monitoring at times relevant to driving to enable detection of hypoglycaemia.
To be assessed individually. | Regular self-monitoring of blood glucose – at least twice daily and at times relevant to driving. i.e. , no more than two hours before the start of the first journey and every two hours while driving.
Meters with 3 months memory functions must be available for assessment. | | Insulin treated diabetes | Monitor blood glucose no more than 2 hours before the start of the first journey and every 2 hours after driving has started.
More frequent testing may be required if for any reason there is a greater risk of hypoglycaemia for example after physical activity or an altered meal routine | Monitor blood glucose twice daily including on days when not driving, no more than two hours before the start of the first journey and every 2 hours after driving has started.
Meters with 3 months memory functions must be available for assessment. | | Patients on rtCGM or isCGM | rtCGM or isCGM may be used for monitoring glucose at times relevant to driving. Patients must still carry and use capillary glucose testing equipment in the following circumstances:
▪ Glucose level is 4.0 mmol/L or below
▪ Symptoms of hypoglycaemia are being experienced
▪ Glucose monitoring system gives a reading that is not consistent with the symptoms being experienced (for example symptoms of hypoglycaemia and the system reading does not indicate this)
▪ Indication of impending hypoglycaemia | rtCGM or isCGM must not be used for the purpose of group 2 diving and licensing.
Group 2 drivers who use rtCGM or isCGM must continue to monitor capillary blood glucose levels at times defined by DVLA. | | Where monitoring is required | If hypoglycaemia is experienced, driving should only resume when finger prick result is at least 5.0mmol | | Practice review Quantity of strips provided should reflect the requirements for driving as well as the general management of the patient’s diabetes. Patients with Type 1 and insulin dependent Type 2 diabetes may have their baseline glucose strips on repeat prescription i.e. for regular insulin administration with additional supplies made via acute prescription or variable repeat based on individual need e.g. sick days, driving etc Patients with non-insulin dependent Type 2 should only receive their glucose strips on an acute prescription. Practices are encouraged to review the ongoing need for strips at each diabetes review and adjust quantities as needed. A variety of reports are accessible on the clinical system to assist practices in identifying patients with non-insulin dependent Type 2 diabetes who may be receiving more than the recommended amount on prescription. These reports include the following: | Report Suggested action | | | --- | --- | | Patients with diet-controlled diabetes with test strips issued | Consider stopping test strips | | Patients on ag

FAQs

How often should blood glucose be monitored when driving for diabetes managed with oral tablets that carry a hypoglycaemia risk?

Self-monitoring should be done at times relevant to driving to detect hypoglycaemia. Regular testing is required at least twice daily and at times relevant to driving, with no more than two hours before the first journey and every two hours while driving.

What monitoring rules apply to insulin-treated diabetes when driving?

Monitor blood glucose no more than 2 hours before the start of the first journey and every 2 hours after driving has started. More frequent testing may be needed if there is greater hypoglycaemia risk, such as after physical activity or an altered meal routine.

What should happen if hypoglycaemia is experienced while driving?

Driving should only resume when the finger-prick result is at least 5.0 mmol/L.

Sep 18, 2026

Upload by Quinn