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Type 2 Shielding type 2 hba1c above 75

L

Loobski

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1
Hi all, hope your well and keeping safe. I am asking for some advice pls. I was originally shielding as per gp request in march 2020 as the Rcgp stated that if your hba1c was above 75 this catagorized you as extremely high risk. I never received a letter from the government but provided my employer (the nhs) with a sick cert from the gp stating my hba1c and that I was able to work from home. I then returned to work in a non clinical role in what was supposed to be a covid secure office but I then contracted covid and was poorly for atleast 8 weeks and if I'm honest am still suffering from fatigue and loss of taste and smell. I was lucky that I was not hospitalised but I was petrified due to my uncontrolled diabetes. I returned to work and then in December was told by the gp to shield again as my hba1c is still very high. Again no letter from government but sick certificate letters stating the same as before. I have now been told by my manager and hr that all time off is being recorded as sick because I haven't got the official government letter and this puts me in a very high level of sickness so I'm extremely worried for my job. Is anyone else in this situation? Does anyone have any advice. I am so upset and anxious about returning with the different strains emerging etc but feel my work are making me choose between my job and my health x
 
Well... diabetics are not in the extremely vulnerable list usually. You have only got sick notes and therefore you are recorded as sick. I’m not seeing how your company could do differently

However, your gp put you in this list so should have informed the government and therefore you should have got an official letter.

have you asked your doctor ?

My levels at the time were 78 and I wasn’t classed as extremely vulnerable so this isn’t a blanket ruling, maybe that’s the problem?

have you an employees assistance scheme or a union?
 
Coincidentally I saw on “the other site” they are campaigning for a certain group of diabetics that meet criteria to automatically be shielded as cev. Those criteria were multiple but one aspect was hb1ac over 75. The fact they are campaigning for this strongly suggests there is no consistency at present.

“People with any type of diabetes who are aged 50 years or older, and who have had an HbA1C result in the last 18 months of 75mmol/mol (9%) or above, and have received treatment for a chronic diabetes complication or have been admitted to hospital in the last five years for an acute diabetes complication.”​
 
That’s a lot of combinations.
I guess the decisions were made on balancing keeping people out of work for protection but keeping the numbers sustainable
Nothing in the government stuff I have seen says diabetics (with no other conditions) with high bloods are cev. Whilst some have been shielded by their doctors it is inconsistent and therefore causing issues clearly for some such as @Loobski

as I said, without a government letter it has to be seen as sick leave. Is there no opportunity for furlough perhaps. Have know of that being an option for those who are at greater risk but unfortunately there have been some who have had to choose their health over job
 

Yep. Any diabetic that has got cev is the result of a subjective assessment by their consultant not a standardised thing. Hence the campaign I guess.
As far as can tell the business must have had a downturn as a result of covid or the person must be cev/shielded or have caring responsibilities as a result of covid (eg children when schools are closed or elderly parents shielding). And the employer must agree to it even if you fit a category. Being cv alone is not enough.
 
As has been said, I'd recommend emailing your GP practice for clarification. The shielding criteria include a group of people who have been advised to shield by their GP.

Have you got written evidence where you GP has told you to shield? If so then your GP should also have updated the government register and so you should have had the letters. FYI I haven't had a letter every time, the most recent ones were emails, but my work still obviously accepted these. If your GP has instructed you to shield I believe they should also have updated the register to class you as CEV, so I think it is reasonable of you to check whether that was done as your work require the official government letter.

Perhaps worth joining a union if you aren't already in one if you think work are going to get awkward?
 
Agree with @Andydragon on this, perhaps not a blanking ruling? At the start & throughout the first second & beginning of the 3rd lockdown my a1c was 83. Throughout this time I’ve had 3/4 gp appointments regarding high bilirubin so recent blood tests where done & I even discussed starting to get better control of my a1c. Not even a whisper of shielding was ever mentioned, I work for myself so have no issues with not working but obviously my GP didn’t know this. I’m only 26 so maybe that had something to do with it, who knows. I know diabetes uk are campaigning for it.
 
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