What services can members expect from Diabetes UK?

[Peter L]

After 20 years with type2 and 20 years' membership, I find Balance useful.
It's not always obvious whether a health focused charity is there to support and educate users and interact with patient voice, or whether it's more to raise money to sponsor additional research.
Some years ago I made a health based inquiry which as ignored. On follow up, I was told my email had gone missing. A few years later, the same and problems with the server going down meant that some emails had been lost....
It was obvious it was a research organisation.... nothing wrong with that but it was a round about way to find out!
This forum looks good, but is it moderated? There are some very ropey English speaking online forums full if well meaning information for people in the USA etc who can't pay for health insurance.
Any ideas or information?

 

[Inka]

Hi @Peter L 🙂

Yes, this forum is moderated - and well-run, in my opinion. There is a forum admin and various moderators.

I’ve contacted Diabetes U.K. in the past and found them very helpful (I phoned the Care Line and also wrote to them about another matter).

As for their ‘mission statement’, @everydayupsanddowns might be able to link you to some information about that.

 

[SB2015]

Hi @Peter L , welcome to the forum. I am glad that you have found us.

As @Inka has said, there are indeed a team of moderators, working alongside the administrator, as well as some hosts keeping a watch on the forum. I hope that you will find the forum helpful. I know that I have learnt most things f what I know about my D management from others on here, who offer practical observations based on their own experience.

 

[AndBreathe]

After 20 years with type2 and 20 years' membership, I find Balance useful.
It's not always obvious whether a health focused charity is there to support and educate users and interact with patient voice, or whether it's more to raise money to sponsor additional research.
Some years ago I made a health based inquiry which as ignored. On follow up, I was told my email had gone missing. A few years later, the same and problems with the server going down meant that some emails had been lost....
It was obvious it was a research organisation.... nothing wrong with that but it was a round about way to find out!
This forum looks good, but is it moderated? There are some very ropey English speaking online forums full if well meaning information for people in the USA etc who can't pay for health insurance.
Any ideas or information?

Hello Peter - This document might be informative about Diabetes UK's strategy and plans for the next few years. I do believe it was published at the end of last year, or the very start of this, but it was certainly before COVID was in our lives. I imagine that whole situation may have deflected a few plans, but hopefully only over the short term.

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/resources-s3/2019-10/organisational-strategy-2019-digital.pdf

 

[Ralph-YK]

Hi Peter
The forum is actively moderated. Though not for quality of the English used, that I'm aware of. Other than swearing.
As for advice given: that comes from fellow diabetics, not DUK. People post their experiences & what works (or doesn't) for them freely from what I've seen. I believe the more outlandish advice may be moded. Adverts for "miricul cures" are definately dealt with.
I've not really looked at info from America.
A Diabetes UK help line sometimes gets mentioned; They have also provided printed information to diabetic, and had other services in the past. So has not always been just a research funder.

[Edited]

 

[trophywench]

The DUK Learning Zone is pretty useful too - I may have had diabetes for nearly 50 years but still learn something I didn't know most days, not all about diabetes of course, but since they are still finding out this that and the other (as treatment for it isn't yet much older than HM the Queen and not as old as Captain Sir Tom!) I still can learn.

 

[nonethewiser]

Magazine is good, charity does sterling work raising awareness on diabetes issues & fundraising for research. Not had much contact with them so not much experience that way.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Peter L

Sorry that you have had less than ideal interactions with Diabetes UK in the past.

Over my 30-odd years of connection with Diabetes UK (as a person with diabetes, as a volunteer, and only much more recently as an employee) I have had experience of the organisation as both a research sponsor, an advocacy and campaigning body, and as a source of education and awareness.

The old strapline was ‘care, connect, campaign’ which I liked as a neat summary.

I believe the mission statement is currently ‘for a world where diabetes can do no harm’, coupled with the rather more feisty strapline of ‘know diabetes, fight diabetes’.

As @Inka has suggested the Helpline (Mon-Fri 9-6) can be a very useful source of support and advice, though there is also a helpline email address if you prefer that.

Look forward to getting to know you better and hearing more of your story.