-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Re: Support through the night
Date: 	Mon, 04 Jun 2012 20:52:00 +0100
From: 	Rachel Holdforth <[log in to unmask]>
To: 	Tim Cunningham <[log in to unmask]>
CC: 	[log in to unmask]



Dear Tim,

Whilst I'm not a Disability Advisor/ Officer at a University, but rather
a Needs Assessor for DSA and a Mentor of Disabled students, I have
encountered a similar situation to yourself recently.

I suggested that the student talk with their Diabetes consultant and/or
specialist nurse about getting a specialist hypoglycaemia alarm which
would be able to alert them to a hypoglycemic attack before it becomes
too bad and in time for the student to take preventative measures
themself. As far as I understand this sort of equipment could be
provided as a standard thing for someone with this level of diabetes
through the NHS, in preference to the DSA since it is something which
the student would be likely to require whether they were studying or not.

Your student may have looked into this, but if not, it may provide a way
of assisting/ allowing them to live independently.
With best wishes,

Rachel

Tim Cunningham wrote:
>
>  Hi all
>
>  I am currently dealing with a student who is hoping to start here in
>  12/13. She has severe diabetes and often has hypoglycemic attacks
>  during the night when she is asleep. The attacks are often so severe
>  she is unable to get up to take medication/food/drink as required. She
>  is currently living at home with parents so they ‘care’ for her whilst
>  she is at home.
>
>  However, she is planning on moving to University by herself and live
>  in University halls of residence. The issue we have (and we have had a
>  number of times in previous years) is the student is requesting
>  someone to come in at night, and the morning, to check on her.
>  Unfortunately this is not something the University is able to do. In
>  the past we have advised students to inform their halls of residence
>  manager of their condition and this has often led to ‘informal’
>  arrangements whereby a staff member may pop by in the morning to see
>  if everything is ok – not an ideal situation but one that appears to
>  have satisfied both parties in the past. The big issue is someone
>  coming in to the student’s room at night – and this is something I do
>  not believe the University can do for a number of reasons.
>
>  One option would be for the student to look in to Direct Payments and
>  have a ‘carer’ with them during the night and more often than not
>  students will inform other people in their residence and something is
>  often arranged between friends, but again, this is not something that
>  the University can formally request.
>
>  I am curious as to what other Universities do in situations like this?
>
>  Thanks
>
>  Tim
>
>  --
>
>  Tim Cunningham
>
>  Disabilities Adviser
>
>  Student Support&  Wellbeing Centre
>
>  Northumbria University
>
>  Tel: 0191 227 3849
>
>  Web: http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/disabilities
>
>  Email: [log in to unmask]
>  <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>
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