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Type 1 and adjustments at work

emilyj17

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi all!

I'll be starting a new job soon (in a library) and am expecting a call from occupational health later today to talk about any adjustments I might need.

Does anymore have any advice about what I should ask for? Obviously being able to check my sugars / inject when I need

Thank you!
 
Depending on the type of library - say if historic documents where they don't want any risk of marking - for the ability to carry hypo treatments.
 
Hello @emilyj17 What a great employer this is, it's quite uplifting to hear of employers who place the welfare of their employees so highly in terms of making reasonable adjustments for you. In regards to things to think about, is there somewhere you can go when you need to do injections such as a staff room and can they nominate a co-worker to be aware of your condition in regards to cover in case you do have a hypo at work ?
 
I have never been asked this and just get on with it but a few thoughts are
- clean area to inject - you may want this to be private if you require
- provision for appointments
- if you are not desk-based, you may require some provision to keep your diabetes kit with you at all times
- maybe not necessarily something for the occupational health but I would ask myself how much I want other people to know about my diabetes
- do you need a "hypo buddy": someone who is able to spot when you may be going hypo and can feed you sugar
 
Juicyj said:
Hello @emilyj17 What a great employer this is, it's quite uplifting to hear of employers who place the welfare of their employees so highly in terms of making reasonable adjustments for you.
Click to expand...

Yes I've never had this before, very refreshing! Thanks for advice!
 
I would say mainly agreement that you can go for planned / unplanned appointments as required. My company are great. I was only diagnosed last year and have needed to go for a lot of appointments and they've all been on the company time.
 

If it is a public library, to make sure there are at least three people, including yourself, on the floor at all times, so that you are able to go and test/treat a hypo if needed.

Also, if you find it works better for you to eat at a certain time, don’t be afraid to ask to be on that lunch.

Having worked in a library previously, definitely make sure you have easy access to hypo treatments. There can be lots of running around and extended periods on your feet.

Congratulations on your new job!
 
I have a risk assessment in place for my Type 1 which covers reasonable adjustments.

It states I may need to go on breaks if I feel sugars are going low. It states all my colleagues be informed by me how they can help (which I done and all my colleagues know what to do if I started displaying worrying behaviour)

I will always be allowed to eat or drink something (even if in a meeting) if needed and I have bottles of lucozade in all the bases that I may pop into.

I also have a lone working device that I am allowed to use to call for ambulance if needed.

My organisation is pretty good and they have never made any issues regarding my diagnosis, in fact in all honesty they have always been extremely supportive.

Congratulations on the job..
 

I'm sort of trying to imagine imposing all that on the sort of work I do.

 
Hi,

I never had any hassle from my employer. I inject openly at my desk and test there as well. My manager and some of my collegues have the hypo gel in their desk and know what to do with it. And of my work place needs adjusting no problem. I have always been open about it, its part of me and seeing is what your are getting
 
T1 in UK is classed as disabled, however it's never something I've needed to highlight as we have flexible working. I've just made sure the first aiders in my building know of my condition.
 
JRW said:
T1 in UK is classed as disabled
Click to expand...
That's an interesting way of describing it.
I tend to say that diabetes is covered by the disability discrimination act.
Some may say that's just syntax but I don't like to describe myself as disabled: for me, diabetes does not stop me doing what I want.
Looking at the definition of disability from the DDA: "physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day- to- day activities.": it surprises me that diabetes is covered.
 

I think it's to make sure that manual workers in particular are given the proper considerations by their employer. Like you diabetes doesn't restrict what I do, but I mainly work from home, and don't do manual work, but if I was I think I'd need to have regular breaks for testing and treatment.
 

Lol, I've done a fair bit of manual work in my time, with a crew of non Ds.
It's pleasantly surprising how the days structure fits in with with a diabetic's regime.
 
I work for the NHS and their treatment of me has been appalling

Hauled before Human Resources and disciplined for having the nerve to be hospitalised twice with hyperglycaemia (in the same year) 3 years ago having given 20 years of service

Then to be told I’m not safe to be a nurse and shoved off into admin

Then headhunted to go back into nursing

I’m leaving as soon as I can
 
That's rather ironic considering your employer is supposed to know medical conditions, and is also a good example of why nobody likes HR people.
 

Hi,

It's odd you say that.. Back in the late 80s I went for a job for the local NHS. (It's all contracted out now.)
I'd had an interview & it all penned on a medical review? (Standard stuff for all.)
Anyhow, about this time I had switched to MDI. (Pretty much within a 2 week time frame?)
Needless to say my managment at this time was not the best.... Physically I had no other issues that could stop me from doing the job.
But the doc examining me kept pushing the diabetes subject..

I feel that's the only time I can say I encountered a "glass wall" with a job..

Not realy that much of a heartbreaker for me now in hindsight.

I wish you all the best with the career move.
 
Since I last posted on this thread I've had the "can I have a word" thing... Reading between the lines it looks like they are losing confidence in me.i can hardly blame them but it's exactly what I thought would happen and it is happening, and it is just utterly depressing.
 
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