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Diabetics - are we to go into shielding again?
- Thread starter 2rs
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2rs
New Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I wasn't on the 'shielding' list. I have multiple other complications, but the NHS Trust I work for offered Medical suspension while the peak was on, I had 22 weeks off, and have been back since 03 August, but I can see it looming again
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
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Hello @2rs
People were not on the government’s original shielding list unless they had other complicating factors (eg severe COPD, cystic fibrosis, immunosuppressants following transplant).
Those that did need to shield would have received a letter, or communication from their GP.
People who just had regular diabetes were only advised to be especially careful about social distancing, with extra handwashing etc. 🙂
People were not on the government’s original shielding list unless they had other complicating factors (eg severe COPD, cystic fibrosis, immunosuppressants following transplant).
Those that did need to shield would have received a letter, or communication from their GP.
People who just had regular diabetes were only advised to be especially careful about social distancing, with extra handwashing etc. 🙂
Cynically the current regime's main priority is Brexit and the Economy,there is a lot of push among the party faithful and donors for a Sweden style let it rip,herd immunity approach to the now downgraded to epidemic,pandemic event
However the danger is that with a full blown out of control,mass infection event with health services potentially overwhelmed, a lockdown would be inevitable around january 1st and really turn Brexit into a chaos event from day one.
Consequently i believe Cummins et al will take the path of least resistance and,least expense and ask about 4 million to isolate or shield,
That would be anybody at above normal risk rather than the population as a whole.
The rest of the population will have to adhere to strict rules on very limited social activities.other than work , education etc
work at home where possible,reduced travel reduced shopping hours etc in mitigation as before.
Enhanced Tax credits and other benefits will be extended to those who isolate who meet the above normal or high risk criteria and need financial assistance.
However the danger is that with a full blown out of control,mass infection event with health services potentially overwhelmed, a lockdown would be inevitable around january 1st and really turn Brexit into a chaos event from day one.
Consequently i believe Cummins et al will take the path of least resistance and,least expense and ask about 4 million to isolate or shield,
That would be anybody at above normal risk rather than the population as a whole.
The rest of the population will have to adhere to strict rules on very limited social activities.other than work , education etc
work at home where possible,reduced travel reduced shopping hours etc in mitigation as before.
Enhanced Tax credits and other benefits will be extended to those who isolate who meet the above normal or high risk criteria and need financial assistance.
MarkGeordie
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
people on the list were all told to stop by Boris a while back.
MarkGeordie
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Yeah I have heard that too. Not sure in reality how it will work.
grovesy
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Who knows, but with most things during this debacle I don't think it was well thought out or planned for with the appropriate bodies.
Sally71
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent of person with diabetes
Shielding ended for everyone on 1st August
Ljc
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1.5 LADA
Not for everyone my dads GP says dad is still shielded.
MarkGeordie
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
The GP may want to have him on their unofficial list of people still to shield which is fair enough, however in the eyes of the government, shielding has ended and everyone that was on the shielding list was told by the government they did not have to do this no more, therefore the legality of it is, he is no longer required to shield.
Shielding was always voluntary and just a recommendation. As a programme it was paused on August 15th in Wales and August 1st in the rest of the U.K. As a result there is no longer any government support to continue shielding beyond this time.
Doctors can still recommend that individual patients continue to isolate, but this is purely a recommendation from a doctor, is unrelated to the governments shielding programmes, and therefore comes with no support to be able to do so.
Supermarkets have agree to continue priority access to the most vulnerable people, although since shielding ended Tesco have increased their delivery price for the those with priority (£2 to £5.50 to match their regular price), while Asda have converted it to a delivery pass which expires on October 22nd.
But that supermarket is the only concession available, if an employer requires you to work you have no basis to refuse if they are "covid-secure".
Anyway, I usually have my fortnightly hospital blood tests on Fridays, but could not attend last week due to a clinic appointment. So I went today, half an hour by bus, and when i saw how busy it was I just came straight home as I did not feel safe.
The phlebotomy waiting room is pretty small, so with seats taped over there is not room for many people in there that they had people queueing in the hall. Unsurprisingly the hall is smaller still, and has people passing by. There are no windows with rooms on either side so it is quite enclosed, and the spacing in the queue was only about 1ft.
I was shielding due to being immunosuppressed for arthritis, an interstitial lung disease, and uncontrolled diabetes. So I am not going to start taking risks, especially now that the spread is rising fast. Whilst I am no longer strictly shielding, yesterday was the only time I have been out or met anyone other than for medical reasons (someone came to fix a puncture, so I never went further than my local street).
Otherwise I am still doing my shopping online, and having any deliveries unattended so I only go out to bring things into my flat after other people have left. I am still avoiding contact with other people as much as possible.
Doctors can still recommend that individual patients continue to isolate, but this is purely a recommendation from a doctor, is unrelated to the governments shielding programmes, and therefore comes with no support to be able to do so.
Supermarkets have agree to continue priority access to the most vulnerable people, although since shielding ended Tesco have increased their delivery price for the those with priority (£2 to £5.50 to match their regular price), while Asda have converted it to a delivery pass which expires on October 22nd.
But that supermarket is the only concession available, if an employer requires you to work you have no basis to refuse if they are "covid-secure".
Anyway, I usually have my fortnightly hospital blood tests on Fridays, but could not attend last week due to a clinic appointment. So I went today, half an hour by bus, and when i saw how busy it was I just came straight home as I did not feel safe.
The phlebotomy waiting room is pretty small, so with seats taped over there is not room for many people in there that they had people queueing in the hall. Unsurprisingly the hall is smaller still, and has people passing by. There are no windows with rooms on either side so it is quite enclosed, and the spacing in the queue was only about 1ft.
I was shielding due to being immunosuppressed for arthritis, an interstitial lung disease, and uncontrolled diabetes. So I am not going to start taking risks, especially now that the spread is rising fast. Whilst I am no longer strictly shielding, yesterday was the only time I have been out or met anyone other than for medical reasons (someone came to fix a puncture, so I never went further than my local street).
Otherwise I am still doing my shopping online, and having any deliveries unattended so I only go out to bring things into my flat after other people have left. I am still avoiding contact with other people as much as possible.
grovesy
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I don't blame you I have only used my hospital phlebotomy service once, I usally get my bloods done either at my surgery, or phlebotomy service run by hospital but in a central church premises but with prebooked appointments. This well and run no waiting time, and not crowded. In January I was not well and GP sent me for urgent bloods, so arrived at hospital service, you take a ticket and waiting time was approx 1 1/2 hour wait, waiting room about 100 seats all full standing room only , I had to stand for about 1/2 hour before getting a seat and I felt rough. My bloods came back with most thing normal except a CRP that was borderline, Dr. suggested repeat in a couple of days but I could not face going to the hospital again for the wait.
I do not blame you not wanting to go back, grovesy, after an experience like that.
My local centre, used by G.P.s, has not been bad. They have a spacious and airy waiting room though obviously few usable chairs, but have not been too busy. I think the problem with the hospital is if outpatients are holding clinics then you just get a constant flood of people from there.
I will have to go out on Thursday to collect prescriptions, so I will try again then. I did ask the person guarding the door if there was a quiet time, but she said she did not know as she only works Tuesdays! If they have limited capacity you would think they would want to get people to come at quieter times.
But they do not seem to have done anything to manage the numbers,. It also works on a ticket system, but today you had to queue just to be able to get one, to be able to queue until your turn. The on-site pharmacy gives you a ticket but also a rough time when you visit them, so you can go away and come back later. If they had done that in phlebotomy it would have avoided crowding the corridor. Better still would be appointment based sessions for people like me where the tests are not urgent.
(I do not know how hard it is to do an intravenous injection on yourself, but I wish it was something they could teach patients to do. Having needed regular testing for over five years and potentially for the rest of my life the whole process is such a nuisance. Both attending hospital and then waiting whilst a phlebotomist tries to understand the computer system which has multiple orders on it, and the tests are not grouped together. That part takes much longer than drawing the two purples and a yellow.)
In the current environment having everyone filling up the hall, when other patients need to get by, seems a really bad idea. But part of my not feeling safe is early in the first wave they were badly hit by Covid. I thnk by deaths, though it could have been cases. No reason to think the same this time, but if wanting to avoid an infection a hospital is the worst place to be.
My local centre, used by G.P.s, has not been bad. They have a spacious and airy waiting room though obviously few usable chairs, but have not been too busy. I think the problem with the hospital is if outpatients are holding clinics then you just get a constant flood of people from there.
I will have to go out on Thursday to collect prescriptions, so I will try again then. I did ask the person guarding the door if there was a quiet time, but she said she did not know as she only works Tuesdays! If they have limited capacity you would think they would want to get people to come at quieter times.
But they do not seem to have done anything to manage the numbers,. It also works on a ticket system, but today you had to queue just to be able to get one, to be able to queue until your turn. The on-site pharmacy gives you a ticket but also a rough time when you visit them, so you can go away and come back later. If they had done that in phlebotomy it would have avoided crowding the corridor. Better still would be appointment based sessions for people like me where the tests are not urgent.
(I do not know how hard it is to do an intravenous injection on yourself, but I wish it was something they could teach patients to do. Having needed regular testing for over five years and potentially for the rest of my life the whole process is such a nuisance. Both attending hospital and then waiting whilst a phlebotomist tries to understand the computer system which has multiple orders on it, and the tests are not grouped together. That part takes much longer than drawing the two purples and a yellow.)
In the current environment having everyone filling up the hall, when other patients need to get by, seems a really bad idea. But part of my not feeling safe is early in the first wave they were badly hit by Covid. I thnk by deaths, though it could have been cases. No reason to think the same this time, but if wanting to avoid an infection a hospital is the worst place to be.
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