Liveline discussion about diabetic restrictions

mike65

Anyone listening to this? If you miss it the show will be on line later/tomorrow.

Mike.

robinph

Realplayer is dieing on me at the moment. Is it worth downloading later on, anything interesting being said?

mike65

Its covering "official" descrimination, mortage refusals, peoples first hand experiences with low suger incidents such as drivers slumped at the wheel, public transport lack of food, etc.

Mike.

tbh

thanks for the link, Mike - I was ranting about this on the radio forum. The discussion is mostly about jobs and insurance, and the fact that there is a blanket ban on type 1 diabetics driving trains. I'm kind of torn - I can see the sense in judging every case on it's merits, but also I know how easy it is to go low or high, and I would hate for that to happen to me while I was in charge of a bus or train. There's also the point that although someone might be fit when you test them, you'd really have to test a lot to make sure that they were not slipping. It's probably easier to enforce a blanket ban, and possibly safer as well.

I was annoyed at the girl giving out that she couldn't get life insurance for her mortgage, and then she went on to say that she'd been off work for six months because of complications. My heart goes out to her, and no doubt I'll be in that boat myself one day, but surely she can see why she didn't get insurance? I'd bet dollars to sugar-free donuts that she hadn't been to the specialist for a while when she got refused. Same thing happened to me, I got turned down for serious illness cover because I hadn't had a recent Hb1AC. Once I'd been back to the doc a few times, I got it no problem.

Thoughts?

mike65

I agree, as she talked I was about to say to myself "there but for the grace of God go I" but then she admited poor control and illness and which point I went "ya silly mare, what did you expect?" she noted her Hb1AC level was "above 7" which she clearly thinks is the acceptable maximum (its not).

Mike.

daveharnett

I was under the impression that Irish health insurers had to insure people at their normal rates regardless of their risk profile. Is that incorrect, or are the 'complaints' only in relation to life assurance/mortgages etc?

tbh

daveharnett wrote: »

I was under the impression that Irish health insurers had to insure people at their normal rates regardless of their risk profile. Is that incorrect, or are the 'complaints' only in relation to life assurance/mortgages etc?

correct on both counts

The_Conductor

tbh wrote: »

I was annoyed at the girl giving out that she couldn't get life insurance for her mortgage

Thoughts?

I was annoyed at her too- when I heard that her control was so poor (and she had no idea what a normal HbA1C is........). I was almost tempted to ring in- I know they were focusing on diabetes, but its a similar story for quite a few long term medical conditions. I can't get life assurance on my mortgage because of my Crohn's Disease- but I can get a mortgage (because of my job- and a statement from Personnel that I had not taken any sick leave in over 2 years at the time (I'm totally paranoid about taking sick leave)).

Re: Health cover- the usual bugbear is no cover for pre-existing medical conditions- most insurers are only too happy to take you on, but either have a window without cover for pre-existing conditions or refuse to cover pre-existing conditions or complications associated with them, period.

Re: type 1 diabetics- I'm one of the registered First Aiders in the building where I work, and am personally aware of 3 Type 1 diabetics who I have assisted in the past few years. If I give hypogel or glucagen to them and Personnel find out- I could get tossed out on my ear. Yet- I have to regularly......

I just don't get it.......

chilli_pepper

smccarrick wrote: »

Re: type 1 diabetics- I'm one of the registered First Aiders in the building where I work, and am personally aware of 3 Type 1 diabetics who I have assisted in the past few years. If I give hypogel or glucagen to them and Personnel find out- I could get tossed out on my ear. Yet- I have to regularly......

I just don't get it.......

I dont get it either - your a first Aider and you could be sacked for helping people when they have lows

The_Conductor

chilli_pepper wrote: »

I dont get it either - your a first Aider and you could be sacked for helping people when they have lows

Apparently, irrespective of the training I have- it creates an insurance issue if I do anything other than rudimentary first aid. Its partially why you'll not find any tablets of any nature ever in a first aid kit. Obviously we do have other resources on site- including a defibrilator, and individual first aiders have their own personal kits, which they stock as they choose, but the bottom line is- society has reached the stage where companies are afraid they will be sued if anyone deviates from prescribed tasks, irrespective of whatever training they may have. In practice- everyone goes off and does their own thing- thankfully accidents and illness are not a common occurrence- but they do occur, and lives are saved, and more commonly occurrences which might normally have an ambulance called (such as someone collapsing with a low blood sugar) can be accurately treated there and then.........

chilli_pepper

smccarrick wrote: »

Apparently, irrespective of the training I have- it creates an insurance issue if I do anything other than rudimentary first aid.

Its a sad state of affairs ! Still I cant see anyone throwing you out on your ear for helping a person with diabetes come out of a hypo with some hypogel or glucagen.