Diabetic not allowed into FAS course !

NeVeR

Hi All.

I'd like to hear what you think of this. Not looking for any legal advise

My G/F is a diabetic. She's looks after it really well and has never passed out because of it.

She has been on a FAS course in the National Learner Network.

It's a 18 month course, At the time this happened she was about 8-9 months on the course.

In October last year she decided to leave a glucagon pen in the course in case she got a really low blood sugar and went unconscious - Click link to find out that it is.

But when she asked was it ok to leave one in the fridge she was told she can't be in the building until people are trained to give the Glucagon injection.. It's now January and they have still not allowed her back on the course.

Is this discrimination ?

If there was someone with a heart condition or some other illness that required medication would they refuse them entry to the building.. if they where having a meeting and someone taking part in the meeting ( from the outside ) was Diabetic would they refuse them entry to the build.....

In the case of a Heart Condition would they insist on a defibrillator be on the premises and people trained on using it ?..

I find the whole thing crazy, Giving one of these injections is not rocket science - There is a step by step inside the packaging,, and if they wanted people trained why has it taken so long ?.

Thoughts ?

thanks

NoQuarter

Could be discrimination under the "disability" ground.

Procrastastudy

Does make you laugh sometimes - it's like defibrillators. 90% of people wouldn't touch one, but the ones you see around the pace can be used by a 12 year old. How much training is needed for a G pen.

NoQuarter

Procrastastudy wrote: »

Does make you laugh sometimes - it's like defibrillators. 90% of people wouldn't touch one, but the ones you see around the pace can be used by a 12 year old.

You just know some eejit would hold the victims hand whilst pressing the shock button though!

foxinsox

That sounds absolutely stupid.

I work with a girl that uses a glucose pen for her diabetes. Nothing about the fridge though?

She keeps her pen near the lockers, we all know where it is. If it was an emergency we all know to "stick it in her"! No medical training - just common sense.

I'd be scared if I had to do it, but would.

Your GFs situation sounds very unfair. Hope she can sort it out.

spurious

Sounds very odd, surely whoever is the First Aid person would be capable of using the pen?
I know schools have to have at least one designated trained First Aid person on the premises, I would expect FÁS to be the same.

blindsider

Did your g/f declare her condition on the application form? If she did, then their approach seems bizarre.

If she didn't, then it's still not the end of the world (although she should have) - perhaps a letter from her GP stating that she is fit to attend the course and that the Glucagon pen is designed to obviate the need for special training - it's supposed to be simple to administer.

I'd get on to FÁS immediately and ask for clarification (your g/f should have a contact, if not ring the local training office) - I presume your g/f is upset re this and surprised that NLN have not be in regular contact etc etc.

Is your g/f on a Training allowance (instead of Jobseekers) still? Is there a time limit on this? I can't remember details re this.

Keep emailing/ringing people regularly - then you can prove that you're making every effort to resolve this - and that it's NLN who are dragging their feet

neemish

If it was the case that someone with a medical condition was not allowed onto an educational courses, half of our schools/unis would be empty!

I can think of half a dozen schools offhand where a number of children have severe allergies to different things (dairy, nuts, bananas etc) and need to carry an anapen which I presume is similar.

I would get in touch with the National Disabilty Agency and seek their advice. Also, ring FAS national Office and ask for their policy on dealing with people with an illness/disability