Medical Clearance Form

Wyndham

I've got a new job (yay!) and have a conditional offer which is subject to two things, references and Medical Clearance.

They've sent me a form for the Medical Clearance, and it's asking things that you would expect, but I'm starting to get a bit uncomfortable about it, as I do have things to declare, and I'm wondering what the form might actually be for.

The conditions are an ongoing eye condition for which I will be taking medication for the rest of my life - but which took some time to diagnose last year and resulted in around 9 days off sick (which is obviously quite high). The other thing is that I had work related stress three years ago - all fine now, and unlikely to end up there again, but obviously I need to declare it.

Does anyone know what they will do with the information on the form?

ktothema

The times I've had to fill these out they were passed to an occupational health team. Both times they asked to assess me prior to work starting. Both times I was declared fit to work by them, but my management were given ways to help me so that they didn't exasperate existing conditions. Most times they generally ask these things for good reasons.

Googlewhacker

It is there so that the companies can make reasonable adjustments to help you stay in work if required.

If the 9 days of last year was mainly for diagnosis then I wouldn't worry to much.

Work related stress- I guess you need to be specific as to why this occurred and make it relevant that its not happened in the last three years for various reasons.

Ultimately if they are a bad company they will use any reason to get rid of you. However, the fact they are using a questionnaire tells me that they probably are ok.

jason1231972

Wyndham wrote: »

I've got a new job (yay!) and have a conditional offer which is subject to two things, references and Medical Clearance.

They've sent me a form for the Medical Clearance, and it's asking things that you would expect, but I'm starting to get a bit uncomfortable about it, as I do have things to declare, and I'm wondering what the form might actually be for.

The conditions are an ongoing eye condition for which I will be taking medication for the rest of my life - but which took some time to diagnose last year and resulted in around 9 days off sick (which is obviously quite high). The other thing is that I had work related stress three years ago - all fine now, and unlikely to end up there again, but obviously I need to declare it.

Does anyone know what they will do with the information on the form?

These things normally ask about any conditions that impact upon your ability to do your job, rather than just ask you to declare anything and everything (though you may encounter a different format, I've only ever undertaken a small handful of these).

Re: eye condition - 9 days off sick in one year isn't too bad, so long as it was taken upon the basis of a legitimate illness, and so long as it isn't every year. There is often regard for periods of sickness, whereas 9 individual days is 'worse' than 9 days on the trot, but sometimes these things can't be helped. There are over 250 working days in the year for your average full-time worker in the UK. Your attendance rate for this particular year was pretty much 97%, which isn't bad going for someone with a tricky illness that needs investigating.

You state that you'll be on medication for life, and it's wise to declare this, but what you need to demonstrate (and what the whole point of such medical checks is) is how this condition impacts upon your ability to do your job, if at all, in the interests of fairness for both you and your prospective employer. If you still have problems, don't be afraid to raise them, since employers have a duty of care to make reasonable adjustments for "disabled" workers. If your prospective employer can't/won't make accommodations for this condition, it may be the wrong job (and they themselves would be bending the rules, to put it mildly). Any sickness absence related to this condition can be explained away, if last year's events indicate the end of the road as far as frequent sickness goes, as you have now being diagnosed, and are being treated.

Likewise workplace stress, you need to demonstrate how this affects your ongoing abilities and capabilities at work (hopefully you will be able to demonstrate that it's an isolated incident with a low risk of reoccurrence). The fact that it was several years ago paints the issue more positively than it would look if it had happened recently.

Just be honest and upfront (which I'm sure you intend to be), and don't take this procedure personally, since it's not intended that way

thegirlintheattic

Last medical clearance form I filled out ask for everything, ever.

Jinx

Our company use them - new staff fill them in and they are sent sealed to the external occupational health team. They review the form and let us know if someone needs aadjustments eg may need medication for asthma or a has a hearing impairment which might affect them depending on the role. I've never seen them anyone not go forward with a job offer due to the medical form.

marybelle01

And almost certainly the eye condition will be looked at for a workstation assessment since few employees these days don't use compoters. Nothing to worry about, and as much for your saftey and comfort as for the employers. I have very dry eyes (apparently caused by too many years in the sun and in dry and often "gritty" conditions) and I have to have one. It may involve some adjustment of where your desk is located, the screen (I have to have one which is large and has a rapid refresh rate - whatever that means), and lighting.

Wyndham

Thank you all, you've been very reassuring!

I filled in the form over the weekend, and it said to give a covering letter if you wanted to comment on specifics. So I did, and was honest, while also being (I hope) reassuring about how I currently have everything under control, and inviting them to contact me if they wanted to know anything further.

Hopefully this should be OK!!!

t0rt0ise

The only time it should be used against you is if something will stop you from doing the job. Person I know was offered a job but offer was later withdrawn because of a back problem she had which meant she wouldn't really be able to do the job properly, as lifting and manoeuvring patients was involved.