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Diabetic register

jaym

jaym

Well-Known Member
Messages
45
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hey everyone I need to have a diabetes eye exam done but been told I can't book an appiontment until I have been put on the diabetes register! Does anyone know how long this usually takes.
Thanks
Jay
 
I would just ask the GP to do a referral to the eye clinic. He therefore has to put you in the register if not there. It took a few months for my local eye clinic to send me an appointment after that.
 
jaym said:
Hey everyone I need to have a diabetes eye exam done but been told I can't book an appiontment until I have been put on the diabetes register! Does anyone know how long this usually takes.
Thanks
Jay
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In my area, they do the eye examinations at a set time each year, and visit my surgery to do them (setting up in an unused consulting room), so it could be that applies in your area too?

Alternatively, of course, you can ask to ensure you go on the register.
 
OK, a "register"? :eek: I didn't know there was such a thing! Got to be honest, I object strongly to being added to anything without my consent, and its never been mentioned. Not too happy at all about that actually.
 
It took my gp 6 months to request a retinal eye test then had to wait another 3 months for the appointment
 
It's been a week since I was seen by the GP and he gave me a form to take to the opticans! Did not know anything about the diabetic register until the opticans told me I was not on it yet.
 
ladybird64 said:
OK, a "register"? :eek: I didn't know there was such a thing! Got to be honest, I object strongly to being added to anything without my consent, and its never been mentioned. Not too happy at all about that actually.
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As I understand it, practises are required to have and to maintain such a register, so it may not be something you can readily influence. I'm happy to be proven wrong though.
 
At my 1st appointment with the DN in January (approx. 3 weeks after diagnosis) she told me that I was being put on the Register and she arranged for me to be put on the list for the Retinopathy test and to see the dietician.
I had my test quite quickly and received the 'All Clear' today :) and told I would be sent for in a year.

Some extra info regarding the Register from the DN, you can/will be taken off it if your Hbac1 results have been 'normal' for a year after your 1st 'normal' yearly Hbac1check-up. (I hope that makes sense).
 
I think it was the DN who referred me for the retinopathy scan when I saw her a week after diagnosis. I believe you are supposed to be screened within 3 months of diagnosis, but it actually took 6 months before I got an appointment.
Have you seen the practice DN yet @jaym?
 
doolallylady said:
At my 1st appointment with the DN in January (approx. 3 weeks after diagnosis) she told me that I was being put on the Register and she arranged for me to be put on the list for the Retinopathy test and to see the dietician.
I had my test quite quickly and received the 'All Clear' today :) and told I would be sent for in a year.

Some extra info regarding the Register from the DN, you can/will be taken off it if your Hbac1 results have been 'normal' for a year after your 1st 'normal' yearly Hbac1check-up. (I hope that makes sense).
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Again, my personal understanding; I believe each GP decides on their own measures for when or if someone is ever removed from the diabetic register, which his why I didn't specifically say it.

When I asked for the medical definition of cured/reversed/remission, I was told by two GPs and one academic Professor that there is no agreed wording.

I think that concept is a bit novel and new for quite a few of the medical community. Hopefully, we can help them understand the need for such terms to be better defined.
 
@AndBreathe .

I had found this wonderful place before I had the appointment with her and was armed with a lot of information. It was in answer to a question* I posed to her that she told me about being removed. She also stated that you would continue to be checked yearly as once a diabetic always a diabetic.

*The question was regarding 'normal' BS results.
 
Yes, it is unclear. I have had non diabetic HbA1c for a few years, at least I think so - they never check it lol. I get called for Eye check annually so I must be on some blasted register. This is why I distanced myself from the NHS, so many things they come up with and bombard us with, whether we want it or not. Better shut up now lol
 
When I phoned the doctors today they said the dn will be sending me a letter to see me in June!
 
ladybird64 said:
Yes, it is unclear. I have had non diabetic HbA1c for a few years, at least I think so - they never check it lol. I get called for Eye check annually so I must be on some blasted register. This is why I distanced myself from the NHS, so many things they come up with and bombard us with, whether we want it or not. Better shut up now lol
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You don't need to use the NHS.
Your entire medical history is on your files if you do.
I guess you could always go privately, but then again, if you refuse to give your details, even a private doctor may not prefer to start from scratch each time.

But you always have the choice as to whether you're 'on grid' or 'off grid', but it is a commitment you need to be sure of.
 
I'm fully aware of that expat. What I object to is being placed on registers without being asked, or even told.
 
ladybird64 said:
I'm fully aware of that expat. What I object to is being placed on registers without being asked, or even told.
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As I said, you can opt out. But you if you don't you can't expect to pick and choose.
TV, NI, tax, bank, insurance, credit rating, gas, water, electricity, driving licence, car tax, to name a few, you're on a register for them, if you choose to use them.
 
As I said (and we seem to be going in circles with this) is that I would like to be informed prior to being placed on a register. I feel that is a courtesy, maybe you don't agree with my thoughts on it. As for opting out, it is possible to opt out of certain NHS health programs but it certainly isn't easy - they don't like taking no for an answer!
 
I was offered the opportunity to come off the diabetic register on the grounds that my HbA1c had been under the diabetic threshold and stable for 18 months without medication. (still in the pre-diabetic range however). I was advised I could be moved to the Practice "at risk" register whereby I would still receive monitoring but only at 12 monthly intervals rather than 6 monthly. I declined. I rely on my 6 monthly monitoring to keep me motivated.

As for the eye screening, in my area we have a visiting unit from the National Screening Unit. I am sent for every 12 months. The initial referral came from my DN. My first one was about 3 months after diagnosis.
 
ladybird64 said:
As I said (and we seem to be going in circles with this) is that I would like to be informed prior to being placed on a register. I feel that is a courtesy, maybe you don't agree with my thoughts on it. As for opting out, it is possible to opt out of certain NHS health programs but it certainly isn't easy - they don't like taking no for an answer!
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No I don't agree.
A high percentage of patients don't even bother turning up to see the doctor for appointments, the NHS would waste millions chasing patients for responses to letters, and wouldn't get them after that either.

It's very easy to say no. Simply don't contact them.
They'll put you on yet another register and cease to treat you until you contact them.
But you will have opted out of all treatments, until you need them again, and opt back in.
 
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