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daydream

daydream

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
fish-coconut
hi I am fed up my job seems to be making my life as a diabetic difficult. I have to go for blood test every 3 months and then a follow up a fortnight later with the practice nurse. My employer does not like me to have the time off and I cannot get a appointment out of work Hours . I cannot give up the job as I need the wages, but I feel caught in the middle of the clinic and my job. I feel like letting nature take its course and giving up on medication just for some peace from it all. How does everyone else handle situations like this ? and why should we be penalised when being diabetic is not our fault.
 
Hi Daydream,

You should read your contract of employment, if you have one.
Sounds as if both your employer and GP clinic are being awkward.
I would tell your employer that you are concerned regarding this issue.

Disability Discrimination Act, makes it unlawful for you to be discriminated against in employment.

Best of luck,
Roy.
 
Dda doesn't exist anymore, replaced by equality act few years ago. Employers don't have to give you paid time off to attend medical appointment but most do. Or allow you to make time up, know I can go in any weekend or evening to have bloods done at my local hospital.
There's an article produced by my union which helps see if you fall under criteria of equality act
http://www.usdaw.org.uk/idoc.ashx?docid ... version=-1


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Is there a reason you have to visit the nurse for results? I get mine over the phone. Are you newly diagnosed?
My blood tests have tailed off now to every 6 months.
 
Good evening,

If you're confused about conflicting views phone your local ACAS office. They're not interested in your name, it's all in confidence and the advice is split seconds up to date. My own advice is two-fold; 1) I would start looking for another job, it maybe your line manager not the company and remember that if you have a HR department you have the right to talk to them, 2) don't volunteer information such as diabetes unless an application form specifically asks for health data, don't lie just don't volunteer.

As far as my training goes, I don't believe diabetes is classed as a disability but do check with ACAS, they're waiting to take your call.

Kind wishes,

Q..


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Your gp surgery should have late evening appt or even early morning ones for patients that work 9-5 etc.

I guess your trouble may be in getting to have a morning blood test done.... Well, sorry, but When an employees I had to book a days holiday to get my bloods done, and self employed I lose money everytime I have to get bloods or anything else done.

I also have a friend that works and due to a spine injury he is paralysed every 3 months by the hospital for a week.. And he takes this as his holiday.

Under the equality act you should be allowed to have time off unpaid/ make up time or paid. But thats it.
 
Diabetes is covered under the DDA (i was not aware that this no longer exists) and as such your employer is required to make reasonable adjustments ie allow time off for appointments. There in is the problem.. What is reasonable to them. If they dont consider it reasonable and they have a business case to prove that then they can say no. In my opinion and experience you are better talking to them and agreeing between you what is possible. You can help by looking at flexing your hours and appointments and possibly this will help them accommodate you. Hood luck


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Equality Act 2010 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995
Parts of the DDA still exist, however as "Fractureman" says DDA has been repealed and replaced by the Equality Act .
The main purpose of the Equality Act is to streamline and strengthen parts of DDA and other legal acts(basically the new words should be more in "Daydream's" favor).

At the end of the day "Daydream" should not be in this unhealthy predicament.
Also "Q007" is bang on with regard to the great advice ACAS will give you.

Roy :)
 
I was in a slightly similar situation with my job.
My diabetic nurse is part time, and works 8.30-3 three days a week. I work full time 8:00 til 5:30, and there was an element of employer "grumpiness" shall we say, with regards to the first few appointments.
I was asked to arrange my appointments outside of work time, so I sat down and explained to my manager that it was impossible for me to do that because of the appointment times at my surgery. We came to the agreement that I can take my appointments, but to take an hour I have to give an hour.
Some employers seem to be scared when an employee is diagnosed with diabetes. The instantly think that we are going to take loads of time off and be off sick all the time.
All you can really do when they have this kind of attitude is work the time ahead of your appointment, and prove to them that diabetes isn't going to affect your ability to do your job.
 
Aaah.... Employers thinking diabetics will have time off for ****/appts/hypos etc...
Compare me to my husband. He 47 and only ever gone to gp once for his knee and a 2week op.
Me 50 and this year alone I have counted up my appts and non working days due to hospitilastion etc....27 appts, 3 days hospitilastion and 14 days when too sick to work.... (I am self employed).

So be honest... If it was between my hubby n me... Who would you choose? Thats why I am self employed... With flexible bank work....
 
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