Diabetes Uk Question Time! Portcullis House, Bridge Street, Westminster

Lots Of Question's But Did We Get The Answers?






I attended the Diabetes UK Question Time! Below is why it was arranged and the aim of the session:

I did get to talk, however I didn't want to stop!! lol
Diabetes UK has jointly organised a Question Time event for people interested in debating diabetes issues.

The event took place last night at Portcullis House in Westminster, London, and was jointly organised by Diabetes UK, Novo Nordisk and C3 Health care. Around 100 people were in the audience, and Twitter followers were also invited to ask questions during a live feed.

The people on the panel were:

Barbara Young, Chief Executive, Diabetes UK
Adrian Sanders MP, Chair of APPG on Diabetes, Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay
Valerie Vaz MP, member of Health Select Committee, Labour MP for Walsall
Margot James MP, Conservative MP for Stourbridge
Dr Brian Karet, RCGP and Diabetes UK clinical lead for diabetes
Questioning public figures
Topics raised by the invited audience included the NHS Health Bill, concerns about gaps in services and access to insulin pumps.

Diabetes UK Chief Executive, Barbara Young, said: "The Question Time event was an interactive way of giving people with diabetes the opportunity to question leading public figures, doctors and Diabetes UK about diabetes issues. The invited audience, and a whole virtual audience of people on Twitter, had the chance to ask questions about things that concern them regarding diabetes care and treatment.

"On the panel we got to hear first-hand what issues are of real concern to the people who took part, and it was also an opportunity for people with diabetes to meet others who are campaigning on issues they care about. The feedback from the event has been positive, and Diabetes UK was pleased to have been involved."

My thoughts: To be honest sadly everything is still as clear as mud! I think we will only have a true picture when the new "commissioning structure/system is in place" Although I do believe this is the perfect time to lobby the powers that be and highlight to all the medical profession/commissioners how challenging Diabetes is and we need the technology to help manage what is a very complex condition.
I was also a little disappointed that most of the questions came from the Medical Profession. I never got to ask mine.(maybe someone had warned them about the mouthy northern lass or my little speech earlier tipped the balance!!)

If you want to listen to the "Question Time" please follow the link:
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News_Landing_Page/Diabetes-Question-Time/

I am on the 2nd Recording 13 minutes in.

Diabetes Question Time on Twitter
We have also compiled our Twitter feed from the event; the feed can be read in its entirety on Storify.