Diabetes education programmes and work

I don't suppose the course provider can get anybody to work outside normal office hours, especially if they then start getting into the realms of another person being responsible for "locking up". Unfortunately not much help for you and I can see your dilemna. I expect they assume that everyone is able to take time off on medical grounds and having worked for a company where ladies wanting to have scans when pregnant were threatened almost not to take the time off I know what b*****d employers get away with despite the law.

There are some courses that run on an evening over weeks rather than the usual day or week long courses, maybe worth checking to see if the course you are doing offers this option.

astle9 said:

Why do these always take place during the working week, i have been offered a place but i cannot due to work commitments, they could do an evening one say once a year to allow those of us who cannot get time off to learn more.

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I agree with you. The X-pert course I went on was in the evenings...it started at 4.30pm which meant taking an hour off work once a week for 6 weeks, but my Head of Dept agreed that I could use part of my lunch hour to make the hour up, or I could arrive in work an hour earlier one day a week. But I agree with you, and evening or weekend course would be fantastic. I'm looking into doing the training to run the course myself, but will do it on a Saturday or in the evening. You know the other thing that annoys me...Diabetes UK do these Living with Diabetes Days, but they are always a week day when people are in work. I booked leave to go and help out at my local one a few weeks ago. They are fantastic days but the organisers couldn't understand why it was all well off, retired people attending them, so I explained that people won't book leave to attend these days. But I get the impression that diabetes is not aimed at those who are full time employed, but it is aimed at children (T1) and the elderly (T2).

elaineadams said:

I agree with you. The X-pert course I went on was in the evenings...it started at 4.30pm which meant taking an hour off work once a week for 6 weeks, but my Head of Dept agreed that I could use part of my lunch hour to make the hour up, or I could arrive in work an hour earlier one day a week. But I agree with you, and evening or weekend course would be fantastic. I'm looking into doing the training to run the course myself, but will do it on a Saturday or in the evening. You know the other thing that annoys me...Diabetes UK do these Living with Diabetes Days, but they are always a week day when people are in work. I booked leave to go and help out at my local one a few weeks ago. They are fantastic days but the organisers couldn't understand why it was all well off, retired people attending them, so I explained that people won't book leave to attend these days. But I get the impression that diabetes is not aimed at those who are full time employed, but it is aimed at children (T1) and the elderly (T2).

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And " diabetes iis not aimed "at those children ( Type 1) unfortunate enough not to have Peter Pan syndrome , become adults and need to work ?
Or those elderly dodderers (Type 2) in their 30's ? Tut tut !

Signy

this is actually symptomatic of the NHS in general -- everything aimed at monday - friday 9am - 5pm.

the professionals would get a better response if they worked the evenings and weekends that us "customers" require.

Who in their right mind is going to put so much effort into getting qualified to be told they must work evenings and weekends. I worked a 3 shift pattern for several years, days and nights were never a problem, but the evening shift meant I never really saw any of my family or friends, it is very anti social even though I was getting a financial incentive, I still hated it. I also worked weekends out of financial necessity and again it's very anti social. If we want a service to cover evenings and weekends, then we should pay for it rather than expect it as a right.

It's the major issue for me with doing a DAFNE course (aside from the fact that I can't really see how it would benefit me thanks to having done bdec years ago). They all run for a week that I would have to take off work. That's great and everything, but really? Take a week off to try and teach me something a) I already live by and b) that should really take 3 or 4 hours - a day at most. My job is such that spending a week off means I miss too much for no real benefit, Sorry NHS, I live in the real world and as an educated person with a reasonable level of intelligence, you should treat me like someone in this position.

I think this is what frustrates me about the whole "structured education programme" for diabetes in the UK. If you are obviously liviing by the carb counting and DAFNE approach, the 5 days spent with other diabetics being wound up by learning how to do what you do already and not being told to bolus for protein, for example, is thoroughly frustrating. I've had a long chat with a couple of fitness industry people who have been provided with the structured education, and they were shocked at the lack of attention given to protein in the diabetic diet and the effects on insulin requirements.

graj0 said:

I don't suppose the course provider can get anybody to work outside normal office hours, especially if they then start getting into the realms of another person being responsible for "locking up". Unfortunately not much help for you and I can see your dilemna. I expect they assume that everyone is able to take time off on medical grounds and having worked for a company where ladies wanting to have scans when pregnant were threatened almost not to take the time off I know what b*****d employers get away with despite the law.

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And it will only get worse now. The cost of employment tribunals are generally more than most working people can afford and the Human Rights Act is under threat.

KateA said:

The cost of employment tribunals are generally more than most working people can afford and the Human Rights Act is under threat.

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Although I have witnessed really nasty employers, it's amazing what loops they have to go through to "lose" somebody. At my wife's firm it cost them £40K out of court settlement to get rid of one guy because they knew the court costs would have exceeded that amount. He had initially claimed unfair constructive dismissal because he thought he should have been promoted and he wasn't. It's never clear cut.

Where I live they offer evening a and weekend courses , just been booked on the juggle course starting on Saturday in July

I wasn't given the option to take time off unpaid, sick leave, or use holidays. I had to make the hours up within the same week as my course, so it meant 4 long days each week (I was on a 5-week, one-day-a-week course).

Can I ask what the X-pert course is like? I've been told about X-pert and Desmond's for type2. I'd like to hear opinions of anybody who's been on them

I have done X-spert twice (in 2009 when I was on insulin locally) and this year, under Dr Trudi Deakin at their HQ.
The 2009 time I was on insulin & trainer didn't know much about insulin and only seemed to parrot a script.
Dr Deakin on the other hand was excellent and gave us lots of feedback and has now broadened her teaching to encompass LCHF eating, but covers all eating styles to suit individuals needs!
In short, if your trainer covers the latest incarnation of X-spert, you should get lots of benefit.
If you really want to find out, you can pick up the book here http://www.xperthealth.org.uk/shop