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Job centre diabetic checks

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I just wonder if they would bother getting checked if they are not bothering going to the doctor? Perhaps more information being out there would be better for people to recognise symptoms to go to the doctor with, for example for a few months I have been very tired and sluggish, my eyesight went really downhill and I needed glasses. I finally went to the doctor because I couldn't stop drinking as that was the main symptom I knew of, I just wish I ad had rode information and I would have gone to the doctor sooner. Although I would have missed out on two months of chocolate and pop 😉
 
Thanks Karen, I had the misfortune to be a customer of a JobCentre a couple of years ago and can I just say you'd have regretted doing it to me ...... found the whole experience and ethos (aggressive security etc) immensely degrading, quite frankly.

Not everyone falls into the category of customer to whom you seem to be referring!

OTOH I do know where you're coming from having been an (un?)civil servant meself. Soon packed that in. Not my type of people at all, thanks .....
 
Well you didn't actually offend, I'm sorry if you thought I was! It would take quite a lot to offend me, but there were people WORKING at my Jobcentre I would most happily have given the same treatment actually! Let alone some of the other claimants ..... or their assorted snotty kids and hangers-on .....
 
Why is it do you suppose that none of the younger ones seemed to be able to attend an appointment without a complete entourage? Usually 3 girls of a similar age, all with buggies ....
 
There were people whom I worked with too who deserved even worse! I would cringe at times. I left because I could no longer do the job I was supposed to - the rules were stupid, people were getting angry and I would find myself telling them that I felt angry too. In the end it became too much. Whilst I was on reception I had a good rapport with most people. One man tore up his forms and threw them at me before stomping out, he returned a few days later apologetic and asking for new forms - "would you like them ready torn, Sir" I asked and he laughed.

As for the girls with buggies - the time to worry is when one of them dumps baby on your desk and walks out - poor baby looked at me and thought "this aint good" Fortunately she soon came back.
 
LOL - I actually attended an appointment with someone I'd arranged by phone, he had said I'm upstairs so when you come in come past reception and upstairs, there's a waiting area up here. So that's exactly what I proceeded to do and virtually got rugby tackled on the stairs by the Security bloke.

Apparently, you can't do that. And you are supposed to know that ......

I was tempted to ask where the notice was telling me that (id not his hat saying 'Security' LOL - Monty Python ....) but I didn't waste me breath. I certainly didn't feel 'told off' anyway, the twerp. I think it's something they are trained to do specially to make you feel even more degraded than you do already. Possibly to get you prepared for all the prospective employers at all jobs you apply for, totally ignoring your application.

Possibly not such a bad plan after all, then?
 
Ah well we didn't have security when I was there - 1987-1997 - but we did have sound advice if we ran into problems - "throw a blanket over trouble maker and run" I kid you not. We also had good advice if there was a bomb threat - "search through bins and look for anything suspicious" - they looked after us well! They provided scarves for the women so that they could be easily throttled - mine went into a drawer and then the bin.

We did have several suspect packages when there - one turned out to be a gentleman's medications which he had wrapped up with wires sticking out and written "Bomb" on it! he came into complain after the bomb squad sent their robot in for a controlled explosion - "why did you blow my tablets up?"

One of my regular customers still chats to me in town and asks me if I'm going to any craft shows as she'd like to go too lol, she used to ring up and ask for "Karen" and they'd put her through saying "I think it's your mum"

I did enjoy the job whilst on new claims reception but as with many places they can't leave you alone if you are happy and doing a good job. They moved me into a situation where I knew nothing and there were not enough people to help me learn - talk about demoralising - I didn't last long after that.

When I first started on the jobcentre side of things (I originally was in the UBO) we had a box of cards - not computers! We knew all the employers and we knew our customers. We didn't have to ask them for all their details, we recognised them, knew their skill bases and their home situations - we genuinly cared about most of them - but that is old fashioned of course - the staff hate it now and so do the customers - still at least it's moved with the times (she says wiht sarcasm)
 
Well if other doctors are like mine, it takes someone else to do the checks and provide a letter for the GP to do the necessary confirmation. However I can't see what checking for diabetes has got to do with ones ability to work or read a book.
 
A wooden box Karen? - that's what we had at the Ministry of Pensions in West Bromwich!

We had a CA doing First Action and a gang of COs calculating and authorising payments - of which I was one. I discovered a bigamist on my box once! - only I can't tell anyone about that ever cos of the Official Secrets Act ROFL.

And we had a Knight of the Road, he was an absolute gentleman too. c/o The Post Office, Horseley Heath .....

The National Assistance Board was separate too in those days; Thank God ! - there all the chairs and tables were bolted down to the floor as the claimants used to pick them up and attack .... panic button on their counter rang up stairs in ours, when Big Frank and Big Rob would pick up their Gov't issue pick-axe handles, jam their motorbike helmets on their heads and pelt down the back stairs .....
 
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