- Messages
- 115
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
Hello, I'd like to ask for your advice please.
Last year I was arrested and held in custody in a London police station. I was arrested in the morning before I had had my basal and I forgot to take this insulin with me when I was taken to the station. I was held in the police cell for the rest of the day and I realised later on that I hadn't had my basal insulin. I had brought my meal-time bolus insulin and my correction insulin to the police station and this was held by the police while I was in custody so I did not have access to my medicine. I repeatedly asked if I could correct my blood sugar with my insulin and this was refused. I was told that I had to eat before I could have any insulin! That's obviously problematic because I needed to correct my blood sugar levels that were going up before I would consider eating but it's also problematic because diabetics are supposed to take insulin before eating, not the other way round!
I've complained to the police. Their response amounted to a whitewash and I've appealed the decision. The appeal has been sent to the Independent Office for Police Conduct whose decision is final. I am going to send them some extra information.
I was given a copy of some guidelines when I was in custody and they appear to be slightly different from the guidelines here Recommendations - Management of Diabetes Mellitus in Custody | FFLM which the police are referring to in their defence, though that may not be important. The guidelines say that 'a diabetic needs food to take insulin', a statement that is clearly mistaken. They also say 'a diabetic should not be prevented from using his/her normal medicine' and 'In the event the usual insulin is not available [it] is recommended to obtain a suitable prescription via the emergency department, or the [healthcare professional] may prescribe a short-acting insulin'.
I had my short-acting insulins with me and I would normally correct my high blood sugar and then probably take my basal after that. I was told I could not have my insulin without eating and I could not check my blood glucose myself. I believe that's wrong. My blood glucose skyrocketed and I was taken to the hospital (while still under arrest) with high ketones, ph level, and blood glucose. This had a bad effect on how I felt and it will also have had a detrimental effect on my long-term health so that's why I've complained and appealed.
I'd also like to point out that the guidance says 'It may be safer practice to maintain BG levels higher than the optimum community levels to reduce vulnerability to hypoglycaemia in detention'. I do not think that's right. A diabetic should have the same treatment as they would expect normally in the community or at home. Aside from the health effects of having high blood glucose, I don't think a diabetic can answer police questions as well as when their blood glucose is being properly managed. I felt really unwell during questioning but I answered the police questions as well as I could.
I'm wondering if someone has had a similar experience while in police custody, has complained to the police, or appealed a police complaint, or has any information that could help me in my desire to get justice? Ultimately I want to change the guidelines so that I and others aren't put in a similarly impossble, or difficult, situation.
I believe it should be my human right to equal and fair treatment while in police custody and that means the police should have given me my medication. What do you think?
I've messaged diabetes.co.uk and diabetes.org.uk directly and so far I haven't had a response. Thank you for reading.
Last year I was arrested and held in custody in a London police station. I was arrested in the morning before I had had my basal and I forgot to take this insulin with me when I was taken to the station. I was held in the police cell for the rest of the day and I realised later on that I hadn't had my basal insulin. I had brought my meal-time bolus insulin and my correction insulin to the police station and this was held by the police while I was in custody so I did not have access to my medicine. I repeatedly asked if I could correct my blood sugar with my insulin and this was refused. I was told that I had to eat before I could have any insulin! That's obviously problematic because I needed to correct my blood sugar levels that were going up before I would consider eating but it's also problematic because diabetics are supposed to take insulin before eating, not the other way round!
I've complained to the police. Their response amounted to a whitewash and I've appealed the decision. The appeal has been sent to the Independent Office for Police Conduct whose decision is final. I am going to send them some extra information.
I was given a copy of some guidelines when I was in custody and they appear to be slightly different from the guidelines here Recommendations - Management of Diabetes Mellitus in Custody | FFLM which the police are referring to in their defence, though that may not be important. The guidelines say that 'a diabetic needs food to take insulin', a statement that is clearly mistaken. They also say 'a diabetic should not be prevented from using his/her normal medicine' and 'In the event the usual insulin is not available [it] is recommended to obtain a suitable prescription via the emergency department, or the [healthcare professional] may prescribe a short-acting insulin'.
I had my short-acting insulins with me and I would normally correct my high blood sugar and then probably take my basal after that. I was told I could not have my insulin without eating and I could not check my blood glucose myself. I believe that's wrong. My blood glucose skyrocketed and I was taken to the hospital (while still under arrest) with high ketones, ph level, and blood glucose. This had a bad effect on how I felt and it will also have had a detrimental effect on my long-term health so that's why I've complained and appealed.
I'd also like to point out that the guidance says 'It may be safer practice to maintain BG levels higher than the optimum community levels to reduce vulnerability to hypoglycaemia in detention'. I do not think that's right. A diabetic should have the same treatment as they would expect normally in the community or at home. Aside from the health effects of having high blood glucose, I don't think a diabetic can answer police questions as well as when their blood glucose is being properly managed. I felt really unwell during questioning but I answered the police questions as well as I could.
I'm wondering if someone has had a similar experience while in police custody, has complained to the police, or appealed a police complaint, or has any information that could help me in my desire to get justice? Ultimately I want to change the guidelines so that I and others aren't put in a similarly impossble, or difficult, situation.
I believe it should be my human right to equal and fair treatment while in police custody and that means the police should have given me my medication. What do you think?
I've messaged diabetes.co.uk and diabetes.org.uk directly and so far I haven't had a response. Thank you for reading.
