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NHS - Biscuits For Recovery

Hi All

The basic ethos of this forum is that we are here to support each other, and respect eachothers’ way of handling our condition.

In other words, accusing people of selfishness because they choose to stick to their chosen way of managing their diabetes is against the forum rules. Any more such comments will be deleted. Further sanctions may also apply.
 
I think a point has been missed in recent posts:

Even if the people offering the tea and biscuits did ask if the patients had special dietary needs, and were told by the patient that they were diabetic, they would still offer the tea and biscuits. Because according to the NHS eat well guide, tea and biscuits are fine. One of the pictures of food types in the eat well diagram looks very like a packet of biscuits to me. It's under the pictures of bread, cereal and potatoes.

The elephant in the room, and the really burning question that needs answering, is whether the digestives that @Catlady19 was offered were plain or chocolate. If they were plain, then clearly she was being treated as a second-rate citizen as everyone knows chocolate are better.
 
 


Plain digestives and Rich tea biscuits are yummy .................. but I can't eat either
 

It's often down to cost and also it is a very busy department., with so many patients. I wasn't diagnosed with Coeliac then, that's what my procedure was for, but I would probably take my own food in if necessary, but I really don't snack in between meals.
Edited ( I still have fond memories of those years gone by...................)
 
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dbr10 said:
Yes, really. They are supposed to be aware that the patient is diabetic. When my late father went to hospital last year, he was offered a drink because he'd been waiting so long. The nurse asked if he was diabetic before offering a biscuit.
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dbr, in an ideal world it would be lovely if the nurses knew everything about everyone. All diabetics are not the same as each other though, some will eat biscuits or whatever, some won't. I really don't see anything wrong with them offering a diabetic 'unsuitable for some' food, you can just say no. Also from my Mum's experience in hospital for non related issues (and she was a very brittle diabetic), it was difficult enough getting the nurses to remember to give her her insulin on a given day and I am not joking. I do agree that of course they should know their diabetic patients but even when they remember, how do they know which one would love a biccie and which wouldn't? If a nurse asked me if I was a diabetic before offering me a biscuit I would be annoyed that she thought I couldn't have one if I chose! Poor nurses can't do right for doing wrong sometimes.
 
Adam, quite right, I should blooming well hope that they still would offer them, not because of the eatwell thesis though but because the alternative scenario would be 'Oh, you say you are a diabetic, no biscuits for you then'! It's all about CHOICE. I love this post, do not mess with the Brits and our tea & biscuits!!! x
 
I think it's the society norm to offer tea/coffee and biscuits. I go to a local DUK meeting and they always offer biscuits and most people take them, some 2 or 3. I always feel I'm looked at as the odd one as I don't. I wouldn't be wanting to be told I couldn't have something because I was diabetic so I respect that others can have what they want. I just find it hard to be disciplined to politely refuse. I have no idea how I would cope in hospital as my normal diet is so different from what they would offer.
 
Hiitsme said:
I think it's the society norm to offer tea/coffee and biscuits.
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This has just made me thing of a truly nightmare scenario.

What if the vicar calls round and tells you he's diabetic?

What, exactly should one do in that situation? How can one not offer a vicar tea and biscuits? British society would crumble instantly.

I've just realised why the NHS offer everyone tea and bistcuits. It's not because they don't care about diabetics, it's because they are terrified that one of their patients might be a vicar.
 
Hobnobs?
 
Same here. But I do manage to refuse politely.
 
For me it would be a double whammy.
 
dbr10 said:
Athiest.
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Me too, but I quite like vicars.

I've always found they are very generous when I ask if I can play with their organs

True story - I wanted to learn the pipe organ in secondary school, and there were lots of local churches where the vicars were happy to hand me the keys and let me loose on their magnificent instruments after school.
 
Are you sure that's not just a sketch from 'Im Sorry I Haven't a Clue'?
 
You owe me a keyboard. It is now liberally decorated with creamy coffee due to hysterical laughing.

I have had no problems with a polite refusal, especially these days when there are so many who have special dietary requirements. I've found that in a group situation it's easy not to have the biccies on offer as, with everyone milling around the table and diving in, you can just fade into the background.* If a busy nurse gave me tea and biccies without asking about the biccies, then I'd just leave them. No big deal.
* Except after donating blood. Woe betide anyone who gets between me and the Club or Penguin biccies. Blood will be spilt. Again.
 
I wouldn’t have had 2-3 biscuits ...... but would have had 1 ..... perhaps just as many other healthy people would probably do!

As other posters have said, life continues for all around, why make a song and dance about it. Bottom line is, if you don’t want one - politely decline, as probably many do! It’s all down to choice!
 
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