Lancets Information

Lancets and lancing devices come in a wide range of types and fittings, and it is best to use the manufacturer's own brand of blood glucose meter, lancet and lancing device together. There are also single use lancets which do not need a separate lancing device, and are designed for professional use.

Lancets

Lancets are designed to be used once, and then thrown away. Even using them once will cause them to blunt slightly, and blunt lancets cause more pain.

Dispose of your used lancets safely. They should not be put into your household rubbish, but must be disposed of by a registered collector of clinical 'sharps' waste. Remember that they have your blood on a very sharp tip, and nobody else wants to be pricked by this, as infections can easily be passed on in this way. Your doctor can prescribe a 'sharps bin' on an NHS prescription, which you can return to your doctor's surgery for disposal. Your pharmacy can not accept sharps bins back for disposal. Alternatively your Local Authority may provide their own sharps bins directly to you, and arrange for their collection.

There are three types of lancet fitting, as described by the Drug Tariff (The book that defines what can be prescribed on a NHS prescription in the UK) -

• Type A has grooves along the length of the lancet. The Unilet GP Superlite Lancets will fit Type A lancing devices
• Type B has rings around of the lancet.
• Type C has its own particular fitting, and you must use the brand recommended by the makers

There is a universal lancet - the Unilet ComforTouch Lancet will fit all Type A and Type B lancing devices. It will not fit Type C devices though.

The range of lancets available to buy are listed on our Lancets and Lancing Devices page.

Lancing Devices

Single Use Lancing Devices are used professionally. Each device is designed to be used only once, and then disposed of, so there is no risk of transferring blood from one patient to another. The Unistik 3 Lancing Device is a single use disposable lancing device which is available in different sizes.

Unistik 3 Single Use Safety Lancets

Unistik 3 are single use safety lancets that come with comfort zone technology designed to make blood sampling less of a pain - available in three sizes

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Email

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment