Diabetes Awareness Week

24 May 2023

June 12-18 is Diabetes Awareness Week.  Diabetes is a highly misunderstood condition, so we thought that we would share some interesting statistics, which have been kindly provided by the Diabetes Safety Organisation.

Did you know:

MAJOR UK EPIDEMIC:7m working-age people have diabetes. 620,000 people are unaware they have the condition. One in three people in the UK are pre-diabetic.

SERIOUS CONDITION: Having diabetes doubles your likelihood of a heart attack or stroke. Every hour, someone with diabetes has a toe, foot or leg amputated. One person dies every 7 seconds due to diabetes.

WORKPLACE IMPACT: Severe hypos (hypoglycaemic episode) occur when blood sugars drops too low. It can result in blurred vision, loss of control, seizures, collapsing or passing out. This can cause injury or fatality to the person having the hypo, their colleagues and the public. Do you know how to assist a colleague having a hypo?

HYPOS ARE COMMON BUT HIDDEN: A company of 1,000 employees has 33-66 severe hypo episodes per year – a rate of 3-6 per month.

DRIVING AND DIABETES: There are a number of DVLA requirements that apply to persons with diabetes, including those who drive as part of their job. Are you compliant?

EMPLOYER SUPPORT: Diabetes is a complex condition that can be difficult to manage. It is a legal requirement for employers to support employees living with diabetes to manage their condition at work and not be discriminated against. Disclosing your diabetes means you can better manage the condition and prevent escalation and complications.

You can find out more information about the risk of diabetes in the workplace   here or contact https://diabetessafety.org/ direct.