Poll results – who’s best for advice

One Doctor who's more popular than most Doctors

Well, I’m afraid it’s that time of the month again – poll results day. Last month regular-contributor Caroline wanted to know “if you could have in-depth conversations about diabetes care with someone, which do you think would have the most beneficial effect on your care and management?”

I think you’ll agree that this was a far more insightful question than the usual rubbish we put up on the poll, so thanks to Caroline for her input. Anyway, the results were revealing, with diabetes specialist nurse and fellow diabetic tying for first place – both a long way ahead of the other options. The rather whimsical option of supreme deity with magic wand ranked well, with 25% of the vote. Showing that us diabetics are willing to try anything to improve our care.

Surprisingly / not surprisingly (delete as applicable) the option for doctor or consultant came equal bottom with absolutely no votes. Not one single reader over the last four weeks thought their doctor or consultant could have any useful input into their diabetes care. Ouch! Very ouch, in fact.

This, in my view, is probably fair. While some doctors and consultants are excellent with diabetes – my consultant up the Royal Infirmary is very good for example – I think most of us have experienced the crappy end of a generalist who thinks they know better than someone who has lived with their chronic diabetes for 20-odd years. While it would be mad to suggest the patient is always right, some doctors really do need to understand that us diabetics do actually know quite a lot about diabetes and certainly a great deal about our own conditions.

This has been clearly reflected in the poll results. Those that are at the coal face of diabetes care – specialist nurses and, of course, diabetics themselves – are the people who really, properly, completely understand living with a chronic condition day in day out, every day for years. Through this understanding they are therefore best positioned to help diabetics improve their healthcare. So hurrah for DSNs and hurrah for us diabetics!

Moving on to this month’s poll; we’re asking what frustrates you most about diabetes?

• Hypos
• Hypers
• Lack of equipment
• Sometimes the utter illogicality of it all
• No cure, ever
• Healthcare professionals
• Nothing, I love diabetes

You can vote over the right there.

Last month’s results in full:

• diabetes specialist nurse (36%)
• fellow diabetic (36%)
• supreme deity with magic wand (25%)
• friends and family (2%)
• doctor or consultant (0%)
• local elected politician (0%)