Diabetes & the election

[Stefan Diabetes UK]

As you just might have noticed, there’s an election going on. And we’d like to make sure diabetes is a priority for as many candidates standing as possible.

So we’ve set up an online tool where you can ask candidates in your area to sign the ‘Diabetes Manifesto.’ By signing they commit to working to improve diabetes care and support services if elected, and helping more people avoid Type 2 diabetes.

It’s very simple to use and as usual you’re very welcome to add in your own concerns and comments about what people affected by diabetes in your area need. Link copied in below.

https://goo.gl/px918K

If you do write will be great to see any replies; please send them on to diabetesvoices@diabetes.org.uk

Sorry if this is better placed in the news section by the way - mods feel free to move it over if so!

 

[Northerner]

Fine where it is Stefan! 🙂 Come on folks, get writing! 🙂

 

[Amigo]

I'm sorry to sound cynical but all politicians would commit to these pledges because they're about concerned intent and non specific commitments. There's no money pledges attached to the Diabetes Manifesto just a request to support an interest which no politician would dare deny.

I had occasion to write to my Conservative MP this year for support on specific cancer drug funding (along with scores of others in my position). Central Office devised the MP's a bog standard response letter which many used. All sounded very concerned and laudable but not a single penny more offered for the cause. Hence my cynicism. And it wasn't election time when I wrote for help!

 

[Stefan Diabetes UK]

I'm sorry to sound cynical but all politicians would commit to these pledges because they're about concerned intent and non specific commitments. There's no money pledges attached to the Diabetes Manifesto just a request to support an interest which no politician would dare deny.

I had occasion to write to my Conservative MP this year for support on specific cancer drug funding (along with scores of others in my position). Central Office devised the MP's a bog standard response letter which many used. All sounded very concerned and laudable but not a single penny more offered for the cause. Hence my cynicism. And it wasn't election time when I wrote for help!

I have seen a fair few 'central office' responses so can certainly understand the cynicism, though one of the refreshing things about writing just before an election is candidates don't usually have access to central support and actually have to reply themselves 🙂

Some of the pledges are fairly general, but getting politicians to agree to them will still be useful as we try to win practical improvements down the line. For example, if someone's signed a commitment that everyone should have access to specialist foot care teams to prevent amputations, it'll be easier to us (and the people who wrote to them initially) to press them to make sure the practical support (funding, staffing, structures etc) are in place to make sure that happens.

I should say there is also a full version of the Diabetes Manifesto available here with more details and more concrete commitments.

 

[Bill Stewardson]

If there's the slightest hint of profit our Tory fiends will look at it.

Otherwise, forget it.

Bill.

 

[Amigo]

I have seen a fair few 'central office' responses so can certainly understand the cynicism, though one of the refreshing things about writing just before an election is candidates don't usually have access to central support and actually have to reply themselves 🙂

Some of the pledges are fairly general, but getting politicians to agree to them will still be useful as we try to win practical improvements down the line. For example, if someone's signed a commitment that everyone should have access to specialist foot care teams to prevent amputations, it'll be easier to us (and the people who wrote to them initially) to press them to make sure the practical support (funding, staffing, structures etc) are in place to make sure that happens.

I should say there is also a full version of the Diabetes Manifesto available here with more details and more concrete commitments.

I take your point Stefan and whilst it's good to have the 'general' commitment of individual politicians, their good intent is only useful if it forms part of the overall commitment from their respective Parties. That was the general theme I've received in the past. The 'am I singing the party tune' response.
I see the Manifesto touches on the struggle and limitations on testing strips for many but I wish it had gone further and included the availability for type 2's who are largely refused the means to act in partnership over their diabetic management. This is the growing group who will be the cost burden if left to flounder.

But I applaude the efforts. I'm clearly just too hard bitten I guess! 🙄 I'd be happier if it was a legally enforceable contract they signed!

 

[Lucy Honeychurch]

Theresa May is Type 1 so she should know what it's like, however, she's probably got a private physician and couldn't care a jot about us left to the mercy of The NHS (or what's left of it)

 

[trophywench]

My MP has already declined to get involved in making sure children in schools with disabilities get treated right - apparently he can only get involved in anything if enough people in his constituency each write to him and ask him to. However his website insists he's really really involved in getting disabled folk a good deal in continuing employment. I wrote and asked how he ever expected them to reach employment age - if they couldn't be educated safely? Funnily enough - I have had absolutely no response whatever from the individual or his email service.

Hence Stefan - I just laughed ironically when I saw the email the other day asking me to write to him again - and 'filed' the email.

 

[ukjohn]

I was just about to write to my candidates about this until I read the part about one of the main causes of type2 is obesity, that is like waving a red flag to a bull in my case. Come on Diabetes UK support all diabetics whatever the cause. For your information obesity was not the cause of my diabetes, my diabetes was the cause of my obesity through high insulin doses. Sorry you lost my support over this.

 

[Stefan Diabetes UK]

I was just about to write to my candidates about this until I read the part about one of the main causes of type2 is obesity, that is like waving a red flag to a bull in my case. Come on Diabetes UK support all diabetics whatever the cause. For your information obesity was not the cause of my diabetes, my diabetes was the cause of my obesity through high insulin doses. Sorry you lost my support over this.

Hi @ukjohn, I completely understand many many cases of Type 2 diabetes are not related to obesity, and the fact that is often not widely appreciated must be extremely frustrating. As we say in the manifesto, around 58 per cent Type 2 cases could be prevented or delayed, so certainly not all cases by a long way.

As obesity is though a major risk factor (again, not the only one) for Type 2 diabetes, we do think we need to act to help those people at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes due to obesity. It's not the only thing that needs to happen to make diabetes care and support better of course, and that's why we've included 4 other asks in the manifesto focused on care in school, hospital care, supporting self-management and preventing complications.

Understand though different people have different priorities and experiences, and that's why we've left the template letter completely editable - anything you'd like to say to your candidates about diabetes will be good thing as it helps get the condition on the agenda!

To @trophywench , sadly not much we can do about those unresponsive MPs! Perhaps you'll have better luck with whoever is challenging him or her for the seat 🙂

 

[Amigo]

Infuriatingly, the Tory MP for my area whom I wrote to in an attempt to get support for life saving cancer drugs, basically told me he couldn't help but they were doing terrific work in combatting the obesity problem! How tactless and inappropriate could a response be. The 'couldn't give a sod about you' but look how well we are doing on other iniatives'. Can't say I've noticed however...

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

I sent an email to all candidates in my area just before the last election asking them to support the NHS. Can't remember exactly what the email was about, but it required a basic yes or no answer, and I edited it to explain that because of a disability I can't read very much online so I was asking them to please give me their answers in one sentence.

The Libs, Labs, Greens, & UKIPers had obviously read my email because they all did pretty much as I asked and sent me brief and positive responses. Our elderly Tory MP sent me a central office form response which wittered on for about two pages of A4 and said precisely nothing (obviously the answer was no, he didn't support the NHS, but he wasn't going to say so).

Sadly this is a Tory safe seat so very little point writing to other candidates, and sadly MP has proved there's no point at all writing to him, so I will have to join those people who won't do this, but I hope it raisies the profile of diabetes a bit, if nothing else.

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

Theresa May is Type 1 so she should know what it's like, however, she's probably got a private physician and couldn't care a jot about us left to the mercy of The NHS (or what's left of it)

I believe she has private health insurance, and thinks everyone should have that instead of the NHS 😡

 

[grovesy]

I believe she has private health insurance, and thinks everyone should have that instead of the NHS 😡

If she has I doubt it covers for Diabetes as most private insurances don't cover chronic conditions.

 

[trophywench]

If she has I doubt it covers for Diabetes as most private insurances don't cover chronic conditions.

I can't see how they would cover, for a UK National, anything we'd normally get on the NHS. After all - no Travel insurance which UK people can effect, covers what's covered by EHIC, do they?

If Theresa needs a hysterectomy though, bet she can claim on her husband's insurance - exactly the same as I did when I needed one! He got BUPA cos the owners of the firm he worked for provided it as an automatic perk for all levels of staff once they were confirmed permanent employees. They reckoned it cost them thousands less than having a load of people off, waiting for treatment on NHS waiting lists and getting worse in the meantime. Dunno how much to add kids, as we hadn't got any, but spouses were like £1 a week he had deducted from his wages to add me.

Now with my usual catty head on, I will say we do know she uses a Libre and since we've seen it in evidence fairly regularly one assumes she finds it useful. I can only conclude therefore, if it works - that she must have FAR fatter arms than me ! LOL (and does not mean I think anyone else who it works for has fat arms, in fact FWIW I have em anyway - but I'm just ruddy jealous!)