DUK Facebook status

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shiv

shiv

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
"One of the things we're doing in Diabetes Week is dispelling the myths around diabetes. We've launched 5 new images to help with this, which mention some of the most popular myths we hear about:

Diabetes myth: Eating too much sugar causes diabetes
Diabetes myth: Type 2 diabetes is mild diabetes...
Diabetes myth: If you have diabetes you can't drive
Diabetes myth: People with diabetes can't play sport
Diabetes myth: Having diabetes means you can?t do certain jobs

Visit our website and Share these new images via Facebook so all your friends and family can help spread the word!

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved/Diabetes-Week/Diabetes-myths/"

this has had several comments on it, including one from myself.

number 5? it's not a myth, it's fact, whether we like it or not. yet again they have failed to distinguish between type one and type two - take Tez, he's type 2 and a bus driver, yet i'd never be allowed near a bus with type 1!

it just feels like a real *headdesk* moment for their sake.
 
hmmm i saw that status thismorning....mixed feelings about it..thier obviously trying to take steps in the right direction but they definatley need to make clear definitions between type 1 facts and type 2 facts , they cant make blanket statements about the two as a whole as the care and regimes are very different....ad i thought there was no way u could join the army with diabeties? thats a job ( dunno mabey im wrong ) also the emergancy services?? think maabey a little research is in order and doing 2 fact posts one for type 1 and 1 for type 2?🙂
 
I accept that certain jobs can't be done because of Diabetes, but in principle they are trying to be positive saying we can and try to live a "normal" life,
I'm sure there are other conditions, medical physical mental or other that would stop those afflicted to get a particular job but if you go down that road you've got no chance.

For example there must be (okay no real knowledge) lots of restrictions to join the Army, so to rule of diabetes is a bit unfair. I accpet the bus/public transport driver one, but as I said lets try and be positive, the truth takes far too long to spell out and people would switch off.

General blanket statements between T1 & T2 are possible, it's the same disease (I got that from the name!) the care is similar, but also can be different, aren't we all different, some T1's vary their care & management just as signifaicantly from other T1's and the same for T2's.

Can't we be happy they are trying to put out some good news/positive vibes out there?

Sorry if I've had a go, I rarely do I just think, although your points are correct maybe your missing the point, or maybe I am! If I am I'm sorry.

Cheers

Rossi
 
rossi_mac said:
I accept that certain jobs can't be done because of Diabetes, but in principle they are trying to be positive saying we can and try to live a "normal" life,
I'm sure there are other conditions, medical physical mental or other that would stop those afflicted to get a particular job but if you go down that road you've got no chance.

For example there must be (okay no real knowledge) lots of restrictions to join the Army, so to rule of diabetes is a bit unfair. I accpet the bus/public transport driver one, but as I said lets try and be positive, the truth takes far too long to spell out and people would switch off.

General blanket statements between T1 & T2 are possible, it's the same disease (I got that from the name!) the care is similar, but also can be different, aren't we all different, some T1's vary their care & management just as signifaicantly from other T1's and the same for T2's.

Can't we be happy they are trying to put out some good news/positive vibes out there?

Sorry if I've had a go, I rarely do I just think, although your points are correct maybe your missing the point, or maybe I am! If I am I'm sorry.

Cheers

Rossi
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Rossi, I fully accept that there are certain jobs I can't do. And I appreciate that they are trying to raise awareness, but they're putting out misleading info, again.

My main issue with this is the lack of clarity between type one and type two. As a type 2, you can still drive a bus. As a type one, I can't. So them saying 'diabetes means you can't do certain jobs' is totally crude, as they haven't even clarified what type of diabetes they're talking about, being as the two are treated so differently in every way.

The point is as the leading diabetes charity, they should be being exceptionally clear and clarified about what they are putting out to the public. Which they haven't been.
 
Once again I am thoroughly disillusioned with DUK.

Bex,

As for the army that is a no no with either kind of D. You're lucky to be kept in if you're diagnosed whilst in the forces, mostly they are medically discharged. I am just a little fed up with that.

Once again DUK has shot us all in the foot I feel.
 
Looks like DUK aren't the only ones that are ill-informed. Type 2s cannot have a PSV (public service vehicle) licence if they are on insulin - it's the insulin bit that governs the licence not the type of diabetes. I think it might be hard to be a commercial pilot as well. This means I cannot drive our local community bus and I'm on the committee.
 
My otherhalf left school having being accepted onto a public services (police) course at college.
Being diagnosed between school and college, he was adviced to drop to course.

Although, he has recently looked again, and he poss can join police as a mostly desk based job.

I remember being told the jobs i cant aply for are (may be wrong as im remembering)
Police / Fire/ ambulance services.
Horse Jocky (this on baffled me)

I also remember no scuba diving aswell (someone want to confirm that?)
 
I have a type 1 friend who scuba dives. As I understand it from him, there's not an outright ban on scuba diving, although quite a few organisations choose to restrict it themselves.
 
I have been scuba diving. I did have to sign a vast number of discliamer forms before going tough.
 
All sort of things affect scuba diving, suspect you could get a job doing it, but otherwise you probably have problems with insurance. I was asked to sign a waver for scuba lessons because of high blood pressure.
 
Off of Diabetes UK themselves...

Diabetes UK said:
OK, let?s just get it over with and start with the jobs you aren?t allowed to do. The reason you aren?t allowed to do them is because blanket restrictions have been placed on people with insulin-dependent diabetes applying for the jobs, which include:

? the Armed Forces
? jobs requiring a large goods vehicle licence or a licence to drive certain passenger carrying vehicles (PCV's)
? airline pilot and in some cases cabin crew
? working offshore, for example, on oil-rigs or aboard cruise liners (even as a caterer ? an illogical blanket ban!)
? there may be restrictions on other jobs, eg. train driving. These may be decided on an individual basis.

This may seem unfair ? and Diabetes UK agrees ? but unfortunately this is the case at the moment. However, things won?t always be this way. The situation is always improving.

For example, since October 2004, blanket restrictions have been lifted on joining the fire, police and ambulance service. This means you can now apply for jobs within these sectors, but your fitness to do the job will be assessed on an individual basis. People who use insulin and who already have jobs in these sectors should be allowed to continue, as long as they are fit to do so.
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re the army thing, i can really see their point. After all with the armed forces, the whole point of them is to protect this country and if it means war, it means war. Imagine if they sent a T1 diabetic out to the front lines and said T1 had a huge hypo right there. It would endanger them and those around them.

Don't get me wrong, I believe that its wrong that these bans are in place. And if I could I would totally join the RAF (I like the uniform 😎), but looking at it logically? I don't think the armed forces will ever allow a T1 OR T2 diabetic out into active service :(
 
Hi all,

Unintentionally caused a bit of a stir with this, so sorry to all of you who have been annoyed by this. We have posted a response on Facebook (it's quite lengthy, but felt it should offer as much of an explanation as possible) and I thought we should put it on here as well, just in case some of you don't get to see it.

If you've got any comments, I'll be grateful to read them either on here or on Facebook. I've made sure that all involved with these messages, from creation to sign-off, are aware of what is being said.

Thanks,

Joe

Digital Media Team
Diabetes UK

Here's the post, cut and pasted from Facebook:

"Sorry for taking a while to come back to you all - there are a lot of comments and we wanted to give the best possible reply. Having just read this post back, it's quite long, but we wanted to make sure we covered as much as possible on what is a difficult topic.

Diabetes is surrounded by myths, and over the past few months we have been asking ... See morefor people to send in their own experiences of diabetes myths (you can view a selection of these published on our website here: http://bit.ly/abwYKQ). They give a flavour of the scale of misinformation that circulates about diabetes. These myths and your comments about subjects like driving and working with diabetes are just some of the reasons why we want to bring to light diabetes myths during Diabetes Week and answer them with the facts.

The issues around working with diabetes is, as your comments suggest, complex. Whilst it is the case that the armed forces are the only organisation exempt from the DDA and are therefore able to operate a blanket ban, it is a fact that there can be separate issues with employers. This is why we are highlighting this myth now and why Diabetes UK continues to campaign to have all bans lifted, and replaced with individual assessments. We believe individual assessment is the only fair, reasoned and accurate way to gauge a person?s ability to do perform specific duties. As part of an individual assessment, issues around risk assessment and management are included and there are many instances where any perceived risk can be easily managed if good practice is followed.

Individual assessments should always be based on the individual and generalised assumptions about people with diabetes should never be made. Diabetes UK have set up an Advocacy Service to support people around individual employment issues.

We are highlighting this myth to raise awareness of these unfair restrictions and to help in the on-going campaign to make individual assessment compulsory.

With regards to driving with diabetes, we are currently awaiting a formal consultation from the DVLA on how the recent EC Directive, which will replace the DVLA?s blanket ban on all insulin dependent drivers of Group 2 vehicles with a system of individual assessment, will be implemented. Highlighting this myth is should bring attention to the wide-spread untruth that people with diabetes cannot drive and help us continue to campaign for the implementation of this individual assessment."
 
as i've just posted on facebook Joe, that myth should really be reworded. You have upset a lot of us, myself included. And at the most it should be taken down. Facts and figures need checking first, which it seems you haven't done (yet again it seems DUK get it wrong!), and you've gone and proven to me at least why JDRF are the better charity.

It's a shame. Because a part of me really wants to support DUK. I'm really not sure if I can any more.

I wanted to join the RAF - and I can't. I wouldn't be surprised if I get turned down in an archaeology job because of my diabetes. You can't dispel a myth that isn't a myth - its FACT. There are certain jobs that we can't do and all you guys on facebook seem to be doing is repeating yourself and going around in circles. Oh, and not distinguishing between T1 and T2 - its all about being insulin controlled after all. If I were a T2 and NOT taking insulin, i could do a lot more of those jobs that a T1/T2 who takes insulin. PLEASE make yourself clear!
 
It's bad enough that DUk are trying to dispel a Myth (job restrictions) that is true but on the page headed:

Diabetes myth: If you have diabetes you can't drive

The second sentence turns it into: Nevertheless, the myth that people with diabetes are not safe persists

a) there are 2 myths here, the first is true for a very select few (your GP can demand the cancellation of your licence).
b) where is the evidence for the second, has there been a survey? Motor insurance companies work from accident statistics and I am not aware of premiums being higher for diabetics (insulin dependant or otherwise) so they don't think we are any less safe. (That's a big thank you to those guys).
Maybe this myth comes from the DVLA who restrict your licence when you are on insulin.

As an aside I personally object to the DVLA thinking that I am a less safe driver because I am on insulin, when I could be non diabetic but be an alcoholic and still have a full licence. Also you don't have to be on insulin to have a hypo.
 
Hmmm, guessing I must be in the minority here but have to say, I read the sentence differently. I took it as being doesn't diabetic mean you're unable to do certain jobs and the myth that needs dispelling is amongst employers implementing blanket bans. But that's just the way I saw them, another example of how the written word can be interpreted differently I guess.

As a campaign I quite like it actually. I remember a very powerful awareness campaign a few years back, I think it was for an epilepsy charity, which did a simiar thing, large posters with a 'myth' in large writing to draw attention then the reality below. I remember thinking at the time that a similar one for diabetes would be good.
 
I see the point of the campaign, and obviously support any campaign the dispell myths.

Problem is - for type ones, this is no myth, it is fact. And that's where my issue lies - DUK has made no attempt to distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Once again we have been lumped together, when in fact the two conditions are quite different - as can clearly be seen in the case of employment!

Joe, the response given was totally irrelevant to the responses to the status on facebook. The majority of people pointed out quite rightly that there was no myth about it!
 
aymes said:
Hmmm, guessing I must be in the minority here but have to say, I read the sentence differently. I took it as being doesn't diabetic mean you're unable to do certain jobs and the myth that needs dispelling is amongst employers implementing blanket bans.
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Problem is, the campaign isn't just aimed at employers - it's aimed at the general public, who are now going to think that ALL diabetics can do any job - which as much as I love the idea, just isn't true!
 
I didn't work on this campaign, but am promoting it online and managing the comments on Facebook and Twitter.

What aymes says is how I believe this myth in particular was intended to be taken, us being against blanket bans. I think this sentence in our Facebook response is key: "... Diabetes UK continues to campaign to have all bans lifted, and replaced with individual assessments".

It is difficult when we have some conflicting information elsewhere on our site though, which I want to address... but the point stands that we are trying to make getting a job easier for people with diabetes, so they are not immediately refused a job. In my very personal opinion, the message hasn't worked in this instance.

Sam, I've read your blog post (and DM'd you on Twitter actually) and there's another blog posted on Facebook that I've not read yet - but it's never nice to hear negative opinions about the charity, but it was never the intention to cause these problems and negative feelings. I do understand what you're though, and am not happy that we've evoked this strength of feeling.

I'm making sure that everyone at involved with this is aware of all comments - from on here, Facebook and blogs, and will aim to feedback anything that is said and decisions that are made. It's tricky to manage, but I'm particularly aware of the importance of the feedback of our supporters and how we can use this to improve.

Joe
 
JoeFreeman said:
I didn't work on this campaign, but am promoting it online and managing the comments on Facebook and Twitter.

What aymes says is how I believe this myth in particular was intended to be taken, us being against blanket bans. I think this sentence in our Facebook response is key: "... Diabetes UK continues to campaign to have all bans lifted, and replaced with individual assessments".

It is difficult when we have some conflicting information elsewhere on our site though, which I want to address... but the point stands that we are trying to make getting a job easier for people with diabetes, so they are not immediately refused a job. In my very personal opinion, the message hasn't worked in this instance.

Sam, I've read your blog post (and DM'd you on Twitter actually) and there's another blog posted on Facebook that I've not read yet - but it's never nice to hear negative opinions about the charity, but it was never the intention to cause these problems and negative feelings. I do understand what you're though, and am not happy that we've evoked this strength of feeling.

I'm making sure that everyone at involved with this is aware of all comments - from on here, Facebook and blogs, and will aim to feedback anything that is said and decisions that are made. It's tricky to manage, but I'm particularly aware of the importance of the feedback of our supporters and how we can use this to improve.

Joe
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Joe, thanks for your response. I think the huge problem here is the wording of it - when you explain it as you have done above, it makes much more sense. But you can see by the 50+ responses on facebook that when read as it is, it comes across as being incorrect information (which it is, to be frank).

The other blog posted on there is mine.
 
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