• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Dear Mr Hancock....

rhubarb73

rhubarb73

Well-Known Member
Messages
709
Location
West Yorkshire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
aubergine
So for the first time in 6 years we have a new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
What do we want to ask him?
What are our priorities as a diabetic community?
It’s one of the NHS’s biggest challenges- maybe we can get on his agenda nice and early?
 
As an ex NHS employee, I don’t know where to start........ :banghead:
As a type 2 diabetic, NHS recommendations of LCHF (though with Qismet approval of the Low Carb program here I think that’s not far off anyway) and self monitoring, with of course appropriate funding.
 
bulkbiker said:
Hmm culture to health... now there's a career progression..
Click to expand...

So Jeremy Hunt was called **** when he didn’t do well, (I’ll just type it in asterisks because it’ll get censored anyway!) I’ve already realised what Matt will be called if he doesn’t do well! :joyful::hilarious:

Edit for typo.
 
Last edited:
Rachox said:
So Jeremy Hunt was called **** when he didn’t do well, (I’ll just type it in asterisks because it’ll get censored anyway! I’ve already realised what Matt will be called if he doesn’t do well! :joyful::hilarious:
Click to expand...

Many years ago my MP was called Buck. His election posters were frequently “restyled”.

Jeremy Hunt has a look of permanent surprise on his face, which will serve him well in his new job.
 
rhubarb73 said:
Many years ago my MP was called Buck. His election posters were frequently “restyled”.

Jeremy Hunt has a look of permanent surprise on his face, which will serve him well in his new job.
Click to expand...
Anthony? Colchester I think?
 
He won't be there long. Theresa May has had an unusually high number of reshuffles during her short period as Prime Minister.

Unfortunately health will now become one of those departments where she puts one of her rapidly diminishing group of allies, to reward them, until the next crisis comes along, and then they are shuffled around.
 
rhubarb73 said:
What do we want to ask him?
Click to expand...

Nothing really. Although I'm inclined to think along JFK lines "Ask not what the NHS can do for you - ask what you can do for the NHS".

rhubarb73 said:
What are our priorities as a diabetic community?
Click to expand...

I see no point in asking or expecting anything that will cost money because it quite clearly just isn't there. I am well aware that the care of diabetics is costing the NHS something like 10% of their total budget, so about £14 billion per year. My priority and my only wish is that all type II diabetics become aware of the importance of diet in controlling their condition.
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/resources-s3/2017-11/diabetes uk cost of diabetes report.pdf
The cost of complications is a major chunk of the overall cost and I wonder how much exactly is down to poor BG control? Looking at the chart (URL above) showing treatment costs, the amount spent on education and constant glucose monitoring is peanuts. Maybe a bit more spent on those would lead to less having to be spent on the two major costs of primary care and prescriptions.
rhubarb73 said:
It’s one of the NHS’s biggest challenges- maybe we can get on his agenda nice and early?
Click to expand...
Matt Hancock has for years been funded by Neil Record, chair of the free market lobby group – and NHS haters – the Institute of Economic Affairs.
 
DavidGrahamJones said:
Matt Hancock has for years been funded by Neil Record, chair of the free market lobby group – and NHS haters – the Institute of Economic Affairs.
Click to expand...

This is the fundamental problem with politics in general or any kind of policy discussion. We just don't know who is paying them or what agenda they are pushing. In the case of TU spokesperson it's fairly obvious. What we really need is full disclosure before people are interviewed on TV or radio. On Sky this morning a spokeswoman for the Taxpayers Alliance. My first question, who the Hell are the TA and who funds them? This is never made clear by Sky or the BBC; and so we tend to take what is said at face value when that is really a big mistake.
 
So a Health Secretary with an economic background should understand the economic argument of investing in prevention.
We spend hundreds of millions on drugs, treatments and surgery for complications....and then hundred's of millions on social care for people dealing with the complications or effects of surgery (social care is also under Hancock's department).

Loads of self fund BGL testing, and loads of use Apps like MySugr to record our results, food diary etc.
NICE guidelines say BGL testing is not necessary for T2's. But it is an essential data source for those of us trying to manage our conditions towards and into remission.

If the NHS could partner with an App provider or two, and invest in helping people to manage their conditions, they could not only dramatically reduce the risk of future complications, and the drugs bill, but could also get access to a mass of data that could help inform research into the condition and build a long term strategy for addressing the T2 crisis which the NHS faces.

However, as said in someone else's reply, he may not be around long enough to do anything about it.
 
Back
Top