Pre-employment medical questionnaire

SkintMonkey

I've got an interview on Tuesday (12pm - so keep your fingers crossed for me) and I was just looking at the pre-employment medical questionnaire I've been asked to complete and bring with me.

It has been a long time since I've been asked to complete something like this and I was a bit surprised to be asked stuff like my height, weight, whether my weight has remained steady and a huge list of questions about my health..

This might sound daft, but there are a few bits I'm not sure how to respond to e.g. are you currently suffering from or have suffered from stomach/bowel trouble, frequent/severe headaches or migraine? I do have the odd problem with my stomach (possibly un-diagnosed IBS) and I have suffered from headaches lately - but all (I think) because I've been so damned stressed with my job. Should I say yes or no to these as I'm hoping they will settle down I'll be less stressed.

I didn't realise they would need so much personal info...

Cheers

SM

Boomdocker

Hi Skint Monkey, we havea similiar form at my place of work and it had common ailments such as coughing and colds which, lets be honest, everyone has suffered from at some point or other. I would suggest you only say 'yes' if you have these on a frequent occuring basis. Hope that makes sense.

mattymoo

I work as a risk surveyor for an insurer and we often ask employers to put PEMQ's in place. The reasoning is 2 fold :-

1) If someone discloses an ongoing medical serious medical condition then it ought to be on file so that ambulance paramedics can be informed in the event of a problem.

2) To avoid somebody being appointed to a job for which would be unsafe by virtue of their illness. Clearly epilepsy has implications for driving and operating machinery, colour blindness for electricians and so on. Noise induced hearing loss should not be a bar to employment but a new employer ought to get your hearing checked to establish a baseline, in case you try to sue them later for it. If they can show it has not worsened since joining, they are in the clear.

The balance that should be applied is the Disability Discrimination Act. You should not be rejected for a job because of ongoing issues if it does not affect the job or the task can be adapted to take account.

The questions about bowel issues did make me wonder if the OP was applying for a job in an environment handling food. That is the only area where it should be relevant.

Savvy_Sue

mattymoo wrote: »

The questions about bowel issues did make me wonder if the OP was applying for a job in an environment handling food. That is the only area where it should be relevant.

I'm not sure I agree with that: last time I had a medical questionnaire it was from the Civil Service, they need to 'protect their investment' and make sure they get value for money from new staff, ie NOT have people who take time off work.

I decided I couldn't face filling that particular questionnaire in, so the Civil Service missed out and I got another job.

However, I think I would use as a rule of thumb that if I'd consulted the GP about something within the last year or so, I would declare it.

Some people with IBS find themselves sometimes too unwell to work. If that happened and you had NOT declared it, then there could be a problem.

However, if you can say something like "I have had some bowel problems which my GP feels may be stress related. At no stage would I have been unable to attend work, and we anticipate that these symptoms will improve once I am back in employment" then that should have you covered. Obviously if you're still actually working then being honest about whether you've been OFF work with anything would be a wise course of action.

Even if they don't give you much space, put "see attached sheet" and write it all there. No need to go into ALL the details, just whether these things have / would have prevented you from doing your job.

Well, that's my opinion anyway.

Sandy_Beech

All I can really suggest is be a honest as possibly, as if there was an issue the could always refer to it and do whatever they could.(within reason) Or the might assist... My experience is always to be honest....

Me

Cazza

I'd be as honest as is reasonable.

If you think the headaches are "normal" stress related, haven't seen the doctor about them, don't usually cause you to take time off work and are easily controllable with a couple of asprin, I wouldn't mention it. The same type of stuff for the stomach problems.

I'd be wary of mentioning stress on a form like this if it's not something you've seen a doctor about, I have seen my previous employer choose not to offer a post to someone who had mentioned stress on their questionnaire because they felt the job they were offering was stressful and they felt someone who had already had problems in this are might struggle to cope (no idea if they were allowed to do this or not, but they did!)

If you have seen your doctor about anything, then I would definitely disclose it.

Good luck - is it the job you mentioned on your other thread????

bathgatebuyer

Always be honest with these types of things. If you haven't been and need time off for it, they can insist that you have a medical and can ask your GP for copies of your medical files.

Best to be open and honest or you may store up problems for yourself in the future.

SkintMonkey

Thanks everyone.

In answer to questions:

No this isn't a food related job - I think the questionnaire is a standard one sent out to everyone from the company.

No - this isn't the 'level up' job I mentioned in my other thread - I'm still waiting to hear on that one.

I did see my doctor once because I was getting myself stressed about all kinds of things and the problem seemed to be the way I handled stress, rather than the situation itself. I'm reluctant to put that down as its done and dusted, but I guess as you say, I need to be as honst as possible.

Thanks all.