Blanket bans

It is unlawful for an employer to operate a blanket ban on recruitment of people with diabetes.

Some jobs however, especially those involving safety-critical work, will have legitimate health requirements that may exclude some people with certain medical conditions, including diabetes.

Following extensive campaigning by Diabetes UK, the blanket bans have been lifted in the emergency services for people with Type 1 diabetes and people with Type 2 diabetes who use insulin.

Recruitment and retention of people with diabetes in the police, fire and ambulance services should now be subject to individual medical assessment. However the UK armed forces are allowed to operate a blanket ban on the recruitment of people with diabetes.

In some NHS Ambulance Trusts, there are also still restrictions in place on people with diabetes who wish to be ambulance crew. These restrictions are currently being challenged. There are also restrictions still in place for jobs that involve driving Large Goods Vehicles or Passenger Carrying Vehicles.

You  may find that if you develop diabetes while in employment, your employer may offer to change aspects of your job, for instance by altering your shift patterns. If you are no longer able to meet the health requirements of your job, your employer may offer you a different job in the same organisation.This could be sensible and may be worth considering.

Shift work

People with diabetes used to be discouraged from doing shift work, but improvements in blood glucose testing and more flexible insulin regimes mean that diabetes is less likely to get in the way. If you feel able to cope with the demands of shift work, working nights and changing the way you manage your diabetes, give it a go. Talk to your diabetes care team for advice.

Reviewed: October 2010
Next review date: April 2012