SIR - Research from Diabetes UK has found that one in six people with diabetes who work feel that they’ve been discriminated against by their employer because of their condition.

A lack of understanding from employers can make working with diabetes not just exhausting and stressful, but potentially life-threatening. Managing diabetes can involve taking medication - including injecting insulin at the right times and also testing blood glucose levels multiple times a day.

More than one third of respondents to a survey said that living with diabetes had caused them difficulty at work, while seven per cent hadn't told their employer that they have the condition. A quarter said they would like time off work for diabetes-related appointments and flexibility to take regular breaks for testing blood sugar or to take medication.

Diabetes is one of the largest health crises of our time, affecting more than 2.2 million people of working age. Missing essential health checks or not taking medication on time can lead to devastating complications, such as amputations, stroke, heart disease, kidney failure and even early death.

To find out more about your rights at work visit diabetes.org.uk/work

Stephen Ryan, Head of the North, Diabetes UK