MORE than a third of people with diabetes in our region claim they have suffered at work.

According to research by Diabetes UK, more than one third or 43 per cent of respondents said that living with diabetes had caused them difficulty in their job.

Meanwhile one in seven or 14 per cent of people with diabetes currently in work in Yorkshire and the Humber, feel that they’ve been discriminated against by their employer because of it.

The survey also found that more than a quarter (27 per cent) said that they would like time off work for diabetes-related appointments and 24 per cent would like flexibility to take regular breaks for testing their blood sugar or to take medication.

Diabetes UK hopes that the survey will start a conversation about long-term health conditions in the workplace. Managing diabetes can involve taking medication – including injecting insulin at the right time – and for some people testing blood glucose levels multiple times a day.

To prevent the onset of serious complications there are vital checks that everyone with diabetes should be getting which can require time off work. Employers can only help if they are aware that someone has diabetes and what it means both day-to-day and in the long run.

Stephen Ryan, head of the north at Diabetes UK, said: “Thousands of people across the UK have spoken out about how a lack of understanding from their employers can make working with diabetes not just exhausting and stressful, but also potentially life-threatening. We heard from people who had to give up their jobs in order to manage their condition safely.

“Diabetes is one of the largest health crises of our time affecting more than 2.2 million people of working age in the UK. Missing essential health checks or not taking medication on time can lead to devastating complications, such as amputations, stroke, heart disease, kidney failure and even early death."

"Often people with diabetes do not think of themselves as having a disability, but in many cases they will be covered by the definition of disability in the Equality Act 2010. The Equality Act defines a disability as a ‘physical or mental impairment that has a substantial long-term negative effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.’ When asking whether the condition fits the definition it is the effect of untreated diabetes and the impact on each individual that should be considered, particularly if they have developed complications."

To find out more about about supporting people with diabetes if you are an employer visit www.diabetes.org.uk/work