Interview Montserrat Soley, president of the Diabetic Association of Catalonia (ADC)

The diabetic patients of Catalonia suffer the economic crisis multiplied by two. Domestic economies are resentful, directly or indirectly, due to a global economic crisis that we have been dragging for years. The diabetes sufferer, but also suffering from this crisis, like many other patients or sectors of the population, also suffer from cuts in the Public Administration that condemn them to lose quality of life.

A group of 127 experts from 27 countries gathered in Athens to agree on the criteria and techniques of insulin administration. The group, called TITAN (The Third Injection Technique Workshop in Athens) concluded, among many other recommendations, that the needles are ready for one use and that their reuse causes them to blunt, lose lubrication, cause pain and facilitate their use. appearance of hypertrophy.

Lluís Feliu i Roé

Currently, the Catalan Health Institute (ICS) does not provide a pinch needle. Diabetes sufferers have lost quality of life.

Interview with Montserrat Soley Soteras (MS), president of the Association of Diabetes of Catalonia (ADC) and vice president of the Advisory Council on Diabetes in Catalonia (DOGC nº 6291).

Question:   How does the association of diabetics of Catalonia live with the economic crisis and, in particular, the cuts caused by the Generalitat of Catalonia?

MS: The ADC is trapping the situation and that with certain difficulties, in addition to cuts in public subsidies, we have also seen reducing the contributions of private companies and reducing the number of partners. There are members who are unsubscribed for economic reasons by not reaching the end of the month.

Now more than ever, it would be necessary for people with diabetes to be united and be part of the Association.

Question:   Are those affected by diabetes also suffering from the restrictive measures of the Generalitat?

MS: Those who have diabetes before the crisis had long noticed certain deduction measures, for example, the issue of reducing the number of strips to make the necessary self-controls, this had already been done habitually and every time it was gone delivering the necessary material for the control of diabetes in a more reduced way, counting drops.

The needles for insulin feathers, for example, have long since the feather needles were not delivered in their original container that is 100 units, and they were made from 30 in 30 in an envelope, or a Glove or in a glass. These had to last for 30 days but most people who need to prick insulin put more than one dose per day.

In a subtle way, the reuse of material that is intended for one use is induced.

Question:   And those affected do not complain?

MS: With the crisis, we get information on the problems that some people with diabetes have but almost no complaints in writing. With all the reductions that we have had, we should have increased the number of complaints, but this is not the case, it has decreased, people do not want to file a complaint, because they think that if they complain about the little material they receive they will still give them less.

From the Association we offer to present the complaints on behalf of the affected person but we need to send it to you in writing, so that it can be well documented.

Question:   What would you propose to the Ministry of Health in order to improve the public service?

MS: This crisis is being used to further rationalize some things, although with diabetes we already have a lot of time to rationalize them, we are aware that the self-control material can not be wasted, which should not be given in access, What you have to do is give whatever is necessary. In recent years, the Ministry has been providing means to rationalize the delivery of this material, but sometimes it is rigid, and the material they deliver does not arrive and the person affected must buy it.

It is important to mention that in Catalonia diabetics we have to buy the lancets, which are the needles used to puncture our finger and be able to test them with the strips, in other autonomous communities, are financed by the public health system. The Association of Diabetics of Catalonia at this time does not consider claiming that the lancers provide us for free, but it is necessary that the necessary strips be given and also the feather needles enough to get insulin without it Give the high reuse that is being made at this time.

Question:   If it is so bad to reuse syringes so that no one complains, what is happening?

MS: In the subject of the reuse of needles for feather three aspects affect:

1. the Administration that tries to give the minimum possible material, that is to say that if you do not ask for more, they are enchanted.

2. People with diabetes who, sometimes for convenience and / or ignorance of what excessive reuse may entail, do not change the needle when they touch.

3. The health personnel who do not usually ask how many times this type of material is used.

Question:   So what would you propose to be able to guarantee a syringe by stinging?

MS: The Administration must provide the necessary material to be used, at this time almost all or all of the primary centers are computerized, and all people using insulin should have in their history how many times they are punctured Every day, it is therefore easy to predict how many needles will be purchased in one year.

People with diabetes must be aware that the needles are designed for single use, they carry a lubrication that when used more than once is lost and causes the stinging to be more painful, when reused can also cause hematomas, when putting and removing the tap, we can spoil the needles, etc.

Question:   And what do you propose to the health personnel?

MS: They have to ask about these home-made processes, how many times the feather needle changes, in which area insulin is placed, to verify that they rotate areas correctly, check that they are done the injection correctly, the needle is placed correctly, etc ... that is, they have to check that the injection technique is correct

The three parts, administration, patient, association. We have duties to do and improve.

Question:   In the rest of the state how the crisis is living, what do the other Diabetic Associations do?

MS: Most diabetic associations belong to the FEDE-Federation of Spanish Diabetics, and we share experiences, but because healthcare is transferred, each community is a whole world.

At least in Catalonia it is not the same everywhere, it depends on each zone, from each center, because we have public system centers with different ownership and different management issues, both Hospitals and Primary Centers, and each one works at its own way For example, in large cities we have centers that are from the ICS (Public System) and centers that are managed by Mutual Societies or health consortiums. This leads to differences.

Question:   So you think that management should go through a single entity?

MS: No, I do not mean that it should be the same organization everywhere, because there are different ways to do things right, what we have to do is get the same results and that people with diabetes have a good service you live where you live

Question:   What do you think should I learn from this crisis the ICS? Does your current management think it's appropriate?  

MS: The crisis has forced all of us to do a good test of how we were doing things and reviewing processes, also the ICS, yes.

But we still have a lot of work to do, patient associations do a lot of work that we often take advantage of, because we organize a lot of activities in which participation is small, the information on our activities does not reach many people with diabetes, the number of partners is a very small percentage of people with diabetes.

Question:   And what can you do from the Association of Diabetes of Catalonia while the ICS does not see a move to improve the quality of life of diabetes patients?

MS: We need to continue organizing events and activities. Most of the activities are designed for the information and training of the group, to live with diabetes normally, it is necessary to master all aspects of diabetes, this means training and more training.

A well-informed patient will always be a better patient, there will be more adherence to the treaty.

Outstanding statements:

The ICS "subtly induces the reuse of a material that is designed for single use."

"A lot of information about our activities does not reach diabetics."

"People with diabetes must be aware that the needles are designed for single use."

The Administration "sometimes goes through the rigidity and the material that it delivers does not arrive, the affected person must buy it".

"It is necessary that the strips and needles be given enough to get insulin without the high reuse that is being made at this time."

The ADC,   The Association of Diabetes of Catalonia , is an entity that brings together both diabetics and guardians of diabetic children, relatives and collaborators sensitized for some reason with the problems that arise from this lack. He is totally unrelated to any lucrative, political or religious ideology. Its main purpose is the help and defense of the diabetic.

The objectives of the ADC are to inform, advise, help and defend the diabetic. It also helps to promote research, promote the quality of public assistance and promote awareness of the problematic society that affects the diabetic and its environment.