Type 1 Discrimination?

[andy1971]

I was wondering if anyone out there has experienced any kind of discrimination towards them especially in the work place?

Myself there are two incidents and shockingly the first of the two times the employer happened to be no other than the national health service, shocker!

After my interview I was sent off for a medical as you might expect only during my medical I was told by the doctor that the work I wanted to do wasn't really suitable for someone with diabetes.
At the time I was 18 years old and very fired up over this because I had done the job for almost 12 months prior to this within a government youth training scheme and never had any problems.

I appealed the decision with the backing of my liaison nurse and consultant.
I won the appeal but was offered a 3 month contract in which I was professionally bullied and then made redundant.

This caused a very severe time for me. I became very depressed and had convinced myself the doctors were all wrong so I stopped taking insulin and in turn became very very poorly.

In many ways it was the point I accepted my diabetes and things got a lot easier for me after that.

All had been well again and I'd not experienced anything like that again until 10 years ago, just as I'd thought this kind of thing just didn't happen anymore.

I took a job in a multinational food production company who I can't name for legal reasons as the end result of that was a massive court case and as part of the compensation deal there was a gag order in place.

I've never had the chance to share any of this with anyone that may have similar stories. I'd be interested to know if anyone else had suffered negative reactions in this way.



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[Robinredbreast]

Hello andy, it is sad when discrimination rears it's ugly head. There have been some threads on here about a similar thing. You could do a thread search and see what it comes up with, or someone who has been in a similar situation will hopefully post on here.

Take care RRB

 

[andy1971]

Ah ok thanks

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[noblehead]

Never experienced any discrimination thankfully, but really pleased you won your case and hopefully the company involved will learn from it.

 

[Mrsass]

My boss loves to make snide comments, if my bg is low ' ohh you need to eat again I suppose...' Or if I'm checking bg more often than usual after a low/high spell/been unwell etc she likes to accuse me of hiding out the back...

once worked somewhere else and when I explained about hypos, what to do if I was to pass out etc another member of staff said oh we will just push you in a corner somewhere n ring 999 when we get chance... Everyone (apart from me) found this highly amusing.

Times like these I very much enjoy being quick witted!


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[andy1971]

Yeah I've had that kind of the nf pretty much throughout and it can cut at times but more than that it worries me that they don't actually take in what I've explained...

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[Jaylee]

I normally keep my mouth shut about diabetes... I'm adept at successful secrecy..
Though once at a warehouse position in a logistics firm when called in and offered a chance on HGV training I owned up... My gaffer (surprised) argued it wouldn't be a problem....! Lol. A lot of the drivers considered this operations manager a "bully" but I never had issue with him....I found him a supportive guy, even with his new found knowledge of my diabetes ..!

The only time I ever felt any blatant prejudice on a job interveiw was over long hair... That's another story.

 

[Paz21]

I was wondering if anyone out there has experienced any kind of discrimination towards them especially in the work place?

Myself there are two incidents and shockingly the first of the two times the employer happened to be no other than the national health service, shocker!

After my interview I was sent off for a medical as you might expect only during my medical I was told by the doctor that the work I wanted to do wasn't really suitable for someone with diabetes.
At the time I was 18 years old and very fired up over this because I had done the job for almost 12 months prior to this within a government youth training scheme and never had any problems.

I appealed the decision with the backing of my liaison nurse and consultant.
I won the appeal but was offered a 3 month contract in which I was professionally bullied and then made redundant.

This caused a very severe time for me. I became very depressed and had convinced myself the doctors were all wrong so I stopped taking insulin and in turn became very very poorly.

In many ways it was the point I accepted my diabetes and things got a lot easier for me after that.

All had been well again and I'd not experienced anything like that again until 10 years ago, just as I'd thought this kind of thing just didn't happen anymore.

I took a job in a multinational food production company who I can't name for legal reasons as the end result of that was a massive court case and as part of the compensation deal there was a gag order in place.

I've never had the chance to share any of this with anyone that may have similar stories. I'd be interested to know if anyone else had suffered negative reactions in this way.



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[Paz21]

Hi I am so please some are getting somewhere
I work for the NHS had a heart attack a year ago and 2 major chest infections.
I had 4 incidences so I was taken on a formal sickness verbal warning
After bashing through notes evidence and funnily being told that this is to support me but if you read the letter I got it was so condesending. I got a first verbal warning for my first formal sickness absence meeting.
Preceding to this I was harassed bullied all the time hence the stress hence the uncontrolled diabetes and a heart attack and today another heart attack.
I wanted to appeal but I wouldn't get anywhere as the terms and conditions state the trigger levels. I also knew my boss would never go back on her word and I live my job it keeps me alive and kicking. I really wouldn't be alive if I didn't work as it gives me pleasure to help someone else.
The main thing is diabetes uk need to make the government aware that there is so much bullying and harraent and with job situations you have to work as a diabetic to keep your mind body and soul alive.
We diabetics fight so hard to keep well but if you feel I'll treated your diabetes goes hay wire.
When my colleagues are off sick I work extra hard and keep quiet and I don't rant and rave about them being sick even if they have partied the night before.
The DDA is used but bosses tell you how great they are to give that extra sickness time off and they will penalise you .
We need diabetes ul to tell the government how we all feel that we are human and look at reality not brush things under the matt by using gagging orders.

 

[andy1971]

I wish you a very speedy recovery Paz. My experience was a good few years ago, I'm astounded and saddened to hear the health authority still have this attitude...

 

[HAPPYKAZ]

i have type 2 and work for local council in social services/profound learning disabilities. Anyway there is one client who is pariicularly agressive/voilent and last time I supported my bloods were 9.2 to begin with was left on my own with him for 3 hours I check my bloods again afterwards and they were 2.7. I think the physical struggling made me hypo. I told my senior of this and said she would email H & S guy 6 weeks ago. 2 weeks ago I asked her if any reply she said none and would email - still nothing. Yesterday another senior came on who was trying to score brownie points advised me that I could still support for lesser periods of time and that it is unlikely that the H & S would reply. So lets just keep my mouth shut and it will all be forgotten???? I know what will happen here as a few worker refused to supposed due to bitting, scratching, etc etc etc. To me they are out to get me back supporting any way they can. I also wanted to store a new pen in fridge in kitchen which is where I work on that level and was told I could not but can put it in fridge upstairs, I explained I work downstairs and when on nights/sleepover I would have to get lift upstairs which may be awkward. So am not allowed to store pen near me. Not sure if this is discrimination as if you had a broken leg or any disability/pregnant they have to risk assess and adapt if necessary. So today I am going to contact services manager and see what she say and also H & S guy myself. Great organisations NHS and council are eh!!!