Diabetes at work, done properly
Almost 6 million people in the UK have diabetes. Some of them work for you. I help you support them properly and protect your business, without it turning into a headache.
Where it usually goes wrong
It's rarely a bad employer. It's normally a manager who wasn't sure what to do.
- Someone tells their manager, and the manager doesn't know what to say
- Nothing gets written down, so nobody can show what was agreed
- Diabetes-related absence gets counted like any other sickness
- Nobody knows what to do if someone has a hypo at work
Why it matters
Diabetes can count as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, even when it's well controlled. That means you have to think about reasonable adjustments, and be able to show what you did.
If it goes to a tribunal, disability discrimination awards have no upper limit. Getting it right at the start is far cheaper.
An employee has just told you they have diabetes. What now?
My free 7-day plan walks you through the first week, one step a day. It comes with the forms you need, ready to print.
- What to say (and not say) in the first chat
- Health disclosure form and adjustment agreement
- Emergency poster for staff areas
- A one-page cheat sheet for line managers
Get the free plan
The Diabetes at Work Kit
Everything you need to cover your whole organisation. 42 documents you can edit and put your own logo on.
- Checklists to test your current policies (absence, health and safety, flexible working and more)
- Step-by-step procedures for adjustments, emergencies and return to work
- All the forms, from disclosure and risk assessment to incident reports
- Guides for managers, colleagues, first aiders and new starters
- An annual audit checklist and record-keeping pack
It sits alongside your existing policies. It doesn't replace them, and it isn't legal advice.
Buy it today and have it in your inbox straight away.
Rather I did it for you?
I can meet your staff one-to-one, fill in the forms with them and hand everything back to HR. No medical advice. Just the admin, done properly.
Call me on 07817 126 276
Trusted by HR professionals
“We have been working with Auriel over several months, drawing on her guidance around diabetes and absence management. This has developed into a structured programme of live training sessions for our clients and stakeholders.
Auriel delivers these sessions with clarity and authority, making complex subjects accessible and practical. The Diabetes and Absence Management webinar was a strong example, engaging throughout and well received by attendees, with clear takeaways for everyone involved.
HR Prime Services Ltd values Auriel’s expertise and is pleased to recommend her work.”
Tracey Salisbury
Director, HR Prime Services Ltd
“It was valuable to gain a better understanding of what reasonable adjustments might look like in practice… I found the discussion around the link between diabetes and mental health particularly useful.”
Kelly Jarrett ACMA CGMA
Chief Finance & Operating Officer, Addept Insurance
Questions HR usually ask
Do you give medical advice?
No. I don't diagnose anyone or tell anyone what to take. Medical decisions stay with the employee and their GP.
Does this replace our HR policies?
No. It sits alongside them and shows you where diabetes isn't covered properly.
We already have an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). Isn't that enough?
An EAP is a helpline for staff. It doesn't give you the forms, the process or the paper trail. You need both.
What happens to employee health information?
If I meet your staff, everything goes straight back to HR in line with UK GDPR. I don't keep health records.
We've never had a problem. Do we need this?
That's the best time to sort it. It's much easier to have the process ready than to build it during a grievance.
Hi, I'm Auriel
I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in my mid-twenties. I've managed it every day since, for over twenty years.
Before this, I was a driving instructor and ran speed awareness courses. So I'm used to rules, risk, and explaining things clearly to people who are nervous or fed up.
My story has been featured by Abbott's FreeStyle Libre, and I'm involved with Diabetes UK.
More about me