staff shortage

Wendi22

Member
Messages
21
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
When I was diagnosed 18 months ago my manager was really understanding, I was told to take time out when I needed to, and my lunch-breaks were fixed to make managing my levels easier.
I work in a public building and there were always several staff in on any day, but recently quite a few have left and the authority have put a freeze on recruitment, which now often means there are only 2 of us there.
It has put me in a really uncomfortable position; if I feel my levels dropping and I'm dealing with the public I'm not able to just walk out and leave the position unattended. I feel I can't delay my arrival either due to low sugars otherwise the building wouldn't open at all with just one colleague, and it's not always possible to fix my meal times. As a consequence I am subconsciously keeping my levels high all the time by under-estimating doses or over-eating. Being constantly hyper is affecting my ability to concentrate, sleep, and probably a lot worse. The stress and being exhausted at work however makes my levels plummet so I'm all over the place and feel worse than ever.
They say they will review staffing in the Autumn, I don't think I can carry on like this for another 9 months. I don't suppose there is an answer but I just needed to tell someone!
 

EllieM

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
9,209
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
forum bugs
Well, legally diabetes is a disability and they are supposed to make reasonable allowances for you. It sounds as though they were doing this and now aren't?

Are you able to get a cgm (eg a libre) that would give you warning before you went hypo? Then you could just keep glucose on you and take some before you go low.

Good luck.
 

DCUKMod

Master
Staff Member
Messages
14,298
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
When I was diagnosed 18 months ago my manager was really understanding, I was told to take time out when I needed to, and my lunch-breaks were fixed to make managing my levels easier.
I work in a public building and there were always several staff in on any day, but recently quite a few have left and the authority have put a freeze on recruitment, which now often means there are only 2 of us there.
It has put me in a really uncomfortable position; if I feel my levels dropping and I'm dealing with the public I'm not able to just walk out and leave the position unattended. I feel I can't delay my arrival either due to low sugars otherwise the building wouldn't open at all with just one colleague, and it's not always possible to fix my meal times. As a consequence I am subconsciously keeping my levels high all the time by under-estimating doses or over-eating. Being constantly hyper is affecting my ability to concentrate, sleep, and probably a lot worse. The stress and being exhausted at work however makes my levels plummet so I'm all over the place and feel worse than ever.
They say they will review staffing in the Autumn, I don't think I can carry on like this for another 9 months. I don't suppose there is an answer but I just needed to tell someone!

Have you discussed this with your manager, and maybe HR? Irrespective of your T1, your employer has a duty of care to keep you, your colleagues and members of the public safe.

@Barb McD - I don't know that PIP is an part of the issue here, unless I missed something?
 
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Barb McD

Well-Known Member
Messages
239
No you didn’t miss anything - diabetes of any kind is not a registered disability in Northern Ireland. Don’t make me quote Stormont, our gov system here is broken.

Was my post a problem?

Keeping threads important? Yes definitely.

Splitting hairs? Hmm merely stated the disability issue is moot in my world.

Sorry if I bored anyone, feel free to skim & ignore anything I post that DCUKMod(s) feel...irrelevant
 

sleepster

Well-Known Member
Messages
749
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
My last job was similar to how yours is now @Wendi22, but it was like it from the start. Quite often I would end up hypo after not being able to take my lunch break and if I was really lucky I would be able to treat my hypo and have a sit down. I was mostly working by myself and the rule (that all the customers were well used to) was that if there were customers, you had to serve them (lunch/hypo/whatever else had to come second) In the end I had to leave, it wasn't worth it.
 

Barb McD

Well-Known Member
Messages
239
Hyundai rock to work for if you are vulnerable & have to self medicate, really sad state of affairs for 2020

Hope things improve.
 

Circuspony

Well-Known Member
Messages
959
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
@Wendi22 do you have a HR team you can talk to? Rather than 'ask' if they can make provision to keep you safe it works better if you tell them what you need IMO.
 
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Wendi22

Member
Messages
21
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
My last job was similar to how yours is now @Wendi22, but it was like it from the start. Quite often I would end up hypo after not being able to take my lunch break and if I was really lucky I would be able to treat my hypo and have a sit down. I was mostly working by myself and the rule (that all the customers were well used to) was that if there were customers, you had to serve them (lunch/hypo/whatever else had to come second) In the end I had to leave, it wasn't worth it.
That is sad. It's sometimes frustrating to hear people say that diabetes hasn't stopped them doing anything, because for some of us it isn't that simple.
 

Wendi22

Member
Messages
21
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Have you discussed this with your manager, and maybe HR? Irrespective of your T1, your employer has a duty of care to keep you, your colleagues and members of the public safe.

@Barb McD - I don't know that PIP is an part of the issue here, unless I missed something?
I could discuss it with my manager, and this is going to sound daft, but it might result in burdening the remaining staff and everyone being under more stress, and resentful to-boot. I might try HR though and see if their duty of care is a figment of the imagination. Thank you for the suggestions.
 

Wendi22

Member
Messages
21
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Well, legally diabetes is a disability and they are supposed to make reasonable allowances for you. It sounds as though they were doing this and now aren't?

Are you able to get a cgm (eg a libre) that would give you warning before you went hypo? Then you could just keep glucose on you and take some before you go low.

Good luck.
I don't meet the criteria. It would help though, wouldn't it?
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,850
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
As you are not the only member of staff, I do feel that you should at least be able to have a fixed time to eat. If you prebolus, that should be when your colleague should be taking sole responsibility, and you should not be called on until you have eaten. It is essential for your well being, not some sort of huge favour on the part of the management - I really feel that your reasonable needs should be provided for.
Could you have a bottle of something sugary with you, so you could take a swig of it wherever you are at the time?
You'd not be expected to go on speaking to people if you had a dry throat or a cough without taking a sip of water - surely? Why should your need to tide you over be different?
 

lucylocket61

Expert
Messages
6,435
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
it might result in burdening the remaining staff and everyone being under more stress, and resentful to-boot.
While I admire your attitude, you being below par and struggling is also a difficulty for the staff and stressful for them, even if they dont realise it.
 

LooperCat

Expert
Messages
5,223
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
It’s not a disability under PIP rules.
It is under the Equality Act 2010, however, which states that employers/schools/ universities etc must make “reasonable adjustments” for a type one to be able to fulfil their role - be it fixed meal breaks, being allowed to carry glucose, insulin & test supplies etc. In my case, I’m allowed to wear my smart watch despite the NHS “bare below the elbow” policy and during university exams, as it’s how I control my insulin pump. You don’t get any financial benefit such as PIP (unless you have significant co-morbidities that affect your life) but you do get what you need to do your job.


@LooperCat can you help with this by explaining how you manage when working?
Well, as you asked so politely...:rolleyes:

My situation is very different to the OP’s: I understand they are using fingersticks & MDI, where I have built myself an artificial pancreas system by hacking my NHS supplied pump and CGM.

I am still very much covered by the Equalities Act, however I don’t make use of any of my “reasonable adjustments” except for having my smart watch on my wrist and phone/dextro tabs in my pocket (and the ones uni insist on, like sitting exams in a separate room in case I beep). I can happily go the same 7-8 hours into a 12+ hour ambulance shift before a meal break that everyone else is expected to, including a full-time shift pattern, so I haven’t taken up the “fixed meal time” thing occupational health suggested. It’s not operationally feasible, really - I can’t just down tools at a motorway pile-up to go back to base for a meal... I’ve occasionally shoved some dextro tabs down my neck during a lengthy resuscitation or on the way to one if my levels are falling, but my watch alarms me if that’s the case. I don’t stop to test blood.

All I can advise the OP to do is to have a word with their HR department or union disability rep to get some adjustments put in place. Always keep hypo treatment in your pocket, glucose tablets aren’t the nicest, but they work the fastest and are pretty discreet.
 

Route 66

Well-Known Member
Messages
205
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Do you not perhaps have an Occupational Health specialist within your HR dept that you can speak to? Many Public Authorities do.