Diabetes Awareness Week 2026: Striking Out the Stigma
Posted on in Medical Negligence
Diabetes Awareness Week 2026 focuses on the theme 'Strike Out Stigma', which is a powerful reminder that, alongside managing a serious medical condition, many people living with diabetes continue to face misunderstanding, prejudice and harmful assumptions.
Understanding Diabetes: Beyond the Stereotypes
Diabetes is a lifelong condition affecting millions of people in the UK. There are several types, including Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes, each with different causes, treatments and risks. Despite this, understanding often remains limited or inaccurate.
Common myths
- Diabetes is always 'self-inflicted'
- Diabetes only affects certain body types, or
- Diabetes is easily controllable
These myths can minimise the lived reality of the condition. Diabetes requires constant management, monitoring, vigilance and access to appropriate healthcare, both in terms of management of diabetes and how this may affect other health conditions.
Why Stigma Matters
Stigma is not just a social issue. It has tangible consequences.
It could contribute to delays in diagnosis, reluctance for those concerned to seek medical help, and failure to investigate symptoms appropriately.
Some patients with Type 2 diabetes can go into remission with medical management and dietary control, and in some circumstances, this opportunity could be missed.
In a healthcare setting, assumptions by clinicians should not influence medical decision-making, as this can have serious and sometimes life-altering consequences.
The Impact of Delayed or Inadequate Care
Early diagnosis and proper management are essential in diabetes care. When warning signs are missed, ignored, or concerns are dismissed, diabetes can become harder to control and may lead to serious complications.
In some cases, delayed diagnosis or treatment can result in medical emergencies such as Diabetic Ketoacidosis (“DKA”). DKA most often happens in people with Type 1 Diabetes, but it can also occur in Type 2 Diabetes during severe illness or uncontrolled blood sugar.
Over time, unmanaged diabetes can also increase the risk of conditions including Heart Disease, Stroke, kidney damage, nerve damage, and sight loss.
Not every complication can be prevented, but timely diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and listening to patient concerns can make a significant difference to long-term health outcomes and help avoid unnecessary harm.
Legal Case Examples: When poor care causes harm
1. Missed or delayed diagnosis of diabetes or failure to manage insulin properly can lead to Diabetic Ketoacidosis, which is the build up of ketones (chemicals) which make blood acidic and cause serious illness and even death
2. Inadequate monitoring/management of the condition leading to:
a. Severe hypoglycaemia – confusion, seizures, or brain injury
b. Kidney damage
c. Vision loss and retinopathy
d. Neuropathy – nerve damage leading to loss of sensation and numbness in limbs, which can lead to Charcot foot and amputation.
e. Strokes and heart attacks
3. Delayed or misdiagnosis in pregnancy leading to pre-eclampsia, still birth or neonatal injury
4. Inadequate treatment post-surgery or following injury: infection, delayed and poor healing leading to complications.
How Tozers can help
At Tozers, we work with individuals and families whose lives have been affected by mismanagement of diabetes. We see first-hand how stigma and misunderstanding of diabetes can contribute to real harm. If you are concerned about the diagnosis or management of diabetes, contact our specialist medical negligence team.