Advice please

[Grant Mc]

My 28 year old daughter, diagnosed type 1 at age 15. Has insulin pump which has meant she has been able to work.
She has moved back to the family home, started a new job. During training period her blood sugars went haywire. Had to miss last 2 weeks of training.
Reporting lines followed and doctors fitness for work forms obtained.
Recent discussion with team leader, who stated 37% absence rate and them she was asked how long she has had diabetes, when told 13 years, team leader said she should have a handle on it by now.
Where does my daughter stand ?

 

[helli]

Diabetes is covered by Disability Discrimination Act which includes making reasonable adjustments.
This may be useful to explain this in more detail: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/resources-s3/2017-09/Advocacy pack_EmploymentV3-Jan2016_0.pdf

With regard to her haywire blood sugars, has she been in touch with her diabetes teams to understand what happened and how she can handle this in the future. I know these things happen but we should have the tools (both physical tools such as the pump and support from her diabetes team) to manage it when it does happen and minimise the impact.
Perhaps showing her employer what she has done to minimise the impact in the future may help too.

 

[Inka]

Welcome @Grant Mc 🙂 Sorry to hear about your daughter’s troubles. I think the options depend on how much your daughter wants to push. For a start, the comment that she should “have a handle on it by now” is based in pure ignorance. I’d been considering a formal complaint about that, but a milder response is to politely educate this person.

Type 1 is covered by the Disability Discrimination Act of old. Her employer is not allowed to discriminate against her because of her diabetes. They also have to make reasonable adjustments, eg allowing her to stop to test, inject, change a cannula or whatever.

 

[Grant Mc]

Diabetes is covered by Disability Discrimination Act which includes making reasonable adjustments.
This may be useful to explain this in more detail: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/resources-s3/2017-09/Advocacy pack_EmploymentV3-Jan2016_0.pdf

With regard to her haywire blood sugars, has she been in touch with her diabetes teams to understand what happened and how she can handle this in the future. I know these things happen but we should have the tools (both physical tools such as the pump and support from her diabetes team) to manage it when it does happen and minimise the impact.
Perhaps showing her employer what she has done to minimise the impact in the future may help too.

Many thanks for your reply. Sadly, Amy was moving from Birmingham to Newcastle, so had to arrange change of diabetic teams and doctors. Trying to contact the diabetic team has been slow as file is still transit, she is awaiting confirmation letter from new NHS Trust that the team will take her on. Discussions with the team have resulted in adjustments in the amounts of insulin taken but is still not having desired results.
Thanks for the link, interesting reading.

 

[Grant Mc]

Welcome @Grant Mc 🙂 Sorry to hear about your daughter’s troubles. I think the options depend on how much your daughter wants to push. For a start, the comment that she should “have a handle on it by now” is based in pure ignorance. I’d been considering a formal complaint about that, but a milder response is to politely educate this person.

Type 1 is covered by the Disability Discrimination Act of old. Her employer is not allowed to discriminate against her because of her diabetes. They also have to make reasonable adjustments, eg allowing her to stop to test, inject, change a cannula or whatever.

Many thanks for your reply. Depending upon the team leaders attitude on next call will depend on how my daughter proceeds with this. Thanks again.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

It might be worth calling the Diabetes UK Helpline next week (Mon-Fri 9-6). You can call them on 0345 123 2399.

I’m not sure if you’ve missed an “n’t” (or an “un”?) from your first post - was there something about her insulin pump apart from the problems with training that meant she couldn’t work? Sounds like she didn’t get enough help and support during the transition

How are things going? Has been able to settle into pumping a little now? Is she sticking with it, or thinking about switching back to injections?

 

[Grant Mc]

Thanks for you reply. Amy’s been on a pump for about 7 years now. This has helped significantly in being able to hold down a job. Don’t think I really clarified that. She’s looking to keep going with the pump but she really needs to get a contact from the new diabetic team as a point of contact. Again thanks.