General Election - campaign for diabetes!

[Northerner]

OK, we've got a month to convince all the candidates, of whatever persuasion, that diabetes is an important issue. Join Diabetes UK's e-campaign at:

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_invo...t-campaigns/Parliamentary-candidate-campaign/

NOTE: This thread isn't about party politics, so any posts added that smack of that will be deleted. Keep it about diabetes please! It would be nice to know whatever, if anything, you hear from any of your local candidates about diabetes over the next month.

p.s. I don't want diabetes to win! But hopefully, people with diabetes will 🙂

 

[Red Pumper]

This seems as good a time as any to be joining this campaign and is certainly worth mentioning when the prospective candidates turn up on our doorstep, as they are sure to do over the next few weeks.

 

[RWJ]

Sent to 2 no local MPs - let's see what happens.

 

[runner]

Sent to all (4) candidates in my area, in the hope it will raise the profile.

 

[sasha1]

I will send this forward to our local candidates as well .. Although I did bend a certain candidates ear over the easter weekend .. about the importance of diabetes.. how it affects and impacts on all members of the family etc .. I will have the same approach to all potential candidates

Heidi
xx

 

[grahams mum]

hi i will let my candidate to see this i am going to see him next week i printed the duk manifesto

 

[wallycorker]

Done! Sent to two candidates in this area.

 

[ukjohn]

Done and sent to 3 candidates in my area, also added a few things to the letter.

John

 

[runner]

Sent to all (4) candidates in my area, in the hope it will raise the profile.

Had a reply from one saying he has members of his family with diabetes and is already signed up to the campaign.

 

[SilentAssassin1642]

I would so do this 🙂 except I'd only give the letter to the person who gave me the most rousing speech i'm kiiidddiiinnnggg hahaha.

 

[Donald]

signed up and sent to the candidates here so let's see what happens from here and see if they reply even a acknowledgment would be a start.

 

[Red Pumper]

So has anyone had any replies from their prospective candidates?

I haven't heard a dickie bird from any of mine.

As the emails were generated from DiabetesUK, I suppose that any automated replies would go back to their email system.

 

[Donald]

So has anyone had any replies from their prospective candidates?

I haven't heard a dickie bird from any of mine.

As the emails were generated from DiabetesUK, I suppose that any automated replies would go back to their email system.

Yes I have only one reply from our four candidates and that was from the Conservatives Candidate.In his reply he said that he himself is a type 2 and in his own words( is well aware of the issues involved ).one reply out of four is well on the low side.

 

[Northerner]

Yes I have only one reply from our four candidates and that was from the Conservatives Candidate.In his reply he said that he himself is a type 2 and in his own words( is well aware of the issues involved ).one reply out of four is well on the low side.

Seems like only the self-interested are erm....interested!🙄

 

[am64]

that was very easy to do🙂 i thought Id have to find all my canidates emails etc😱 so i urge anyone who hasnt done it to do so !

 

[Red Pumper]

Only one reoly between us so far and that was from a candidate who has diabetes.

You would think that the candidates would be falling over themselves to get some sort of reply out given that we are less than four weeks from the election.

Maybe we don't come high enough in they're priorities.

Guess what I will be asking about when they knock on my door asking for my vote?

 

[Northerner]

Only one reoly between us so far and that was from a candidate who has diabetes.

You would think that the candidates would be falling over themselves to get some sort of reply out given that we are less than four weeks from the election.

Maybe we don't come high enough in they're priorities.

Guess what I will be asking about when they knock on my door asking for my vote?

What's the betting, if they say anything at all, it will be that they intend to tackle obesity?🙄

 

[wallycorker]

Response from John Healey MP - Labour

I've had a letter of reply today from John Healey MP the current sitting Labour MP for the area where I live. His letter says the following:

"Dear John

Diabetes

Thank you for your email. As you know I have campaigned locally and nationally for better support for people with diabetes, including through my involvement with Wath Diabetes Group and work I have been doing recently to make sure that children get the support for the condition they need in school.

As I am sure you acknowledge, there have been major improvements in diabetes care but it is true that more needs to be done. For example compared to other countries we have high rates of emergency admissions to hospital for those with diabetes and asthma - better management of these conditions and better support for self-care and family carers could avoid such distresssing experiences, leading to care that is more effective, a better experience and more productive. So we want to see care for groups including those with diabetes transformed.

You may be interested in the provision for diabetes the Health Secretary Andy Burnham made when he announced his vision for the NHS for the next few years. 'NHS 2010-2015: from good to great'. He said we would consider what further progress can be made on high impact changes which could benefit these patients. These may include the following:

• Improving glucose control and reducing the need for emergency admissions to hospitals.
  
• Improving footcare services for people with diabetes.
  
• Improving the identification of hospital inpatients with diabetes to ensure that their stay is no longer than necessary.
  
• Improving prescribing and monitoring of - using the most cost-effective drugs and stopping drug use when appropriate. Diabetes glucose-lowering drugs and devices accounted for ?541 million in 2007/8 - the highest item of national drug spend.
  
• Improving the self-management of the high-intensity users and so reducing daibetes emergencies and the use of ambulance services.

I hope this information is helpful to you.

Yours sincerely,

John Healey MP
(Wentworth Constituency)"

I must say that I consider the above to be a well thought ought and well-considered response. Certainly not a hastily-composed fob-off - a much more detailed and better response than I had expected from someone who must be very busy and have a lot on his mind at the present time considering the forthcoming election.

John Healey is president of the local Diabetes Family Support Group that I chair and does always seem to show an interest in diabetes without me having any knowledge of him having a family member being affected. Also, I do know that he has been involved in the children-in-school area through his involvement with a mother of a child with diabetes - who is also a member of this forum - but don't know how successful that work has been. I'll be enquiring about that when I next see the mother in question later this week.

The document that he refers to is interesting too and not one that I had seen previously. I have included a link so that if anyone wishes to read it for themselves then they can do so.

In my opinion, well done John Healey MP! I think that he could very well be receiving my vote so maybe that's at least one for Labour. 🙂

I've heard nothing so far from the other candidate.

 

[sofaraway]

Have done it, only 2 candidates came up. Will have to see if I get any reply.

 

[SacredHeart]

I've sent it off to four - Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem and Green. I know where my vote is going already, but it'll be interesting to see what I get back.