Diabetes and Me at the National Assembly for Wales

Tomorrow as part of Diabetes Week, I'll be heading to the National Assembly for Wales with Diabetes UK, to talk to the politicians known as Ministers or Assembly Members (AM) about what it's like to live in Wales with Type 1 diabetes. The meeting is an opportunity to speak to local and regional political representatives, and is important because it allows a face to be put to the condition of diabetes. Quite often in the press and media, both types of diabetes are coupled in together and things can be said that may not be true for both conditions. Or for example statistics can be attributed to diabetes as a whole, that don't necessarily apply to type 1 or vice versa.

As I will be representing others with diabetes from around Wales,  especially young people, I put the question out on social media as to what people would like to tell their local AM (assembly member) or what questions they might like to ask. Top of the list so far has been good foot care provision for people with diabetes, which is a very important and topical discussion happening at the moment. As I know Diabetes UK are currently very focussed on reducing the amount of amputations that occur as a result of not so good diabetes management.

One of the things I personally would like to speak about is the availability, or lack there of, of blood glucose monitoring test strip quantities. An 'oldy but a goody' as it were in terms of how many times this topic comes up, especially at Blue Circle Diabetes support group meetings. The general consensus appears to be that sometimes there can be a restriction in terms of financial restraints on the amount of strips someone might be able to receive on prescription. But the underlying issue for me is that until we find a cure, my type 1 is here to stay and it needs to be managed effectively. In order to do that we need the necessary amount of strips/ medication to do that. In the long run this also saves money for the government because it means that the condition can be managed better on a daily basis, hopefully reducing the amount of costly hospital admissions from when blood glucose levels go too high or low.

So watch this space tomorrow when I'll be letting you know how I got on at the National Assembly for Wales.