I started a new freelance role on Monday (public government body). Its for a few weeks on low pay but I've been out of work for 4 months so need this job. When I arrived at the job I was asked to attend an occupational health medical that afternoon. Another new starter came with me and had a medical at the same time. The medical started with having to fill out a form asking for any health issues. I stupidly ticked the box under depression/anxiety because I'm on Prozac (fluoexatine) for depression and anxiety. The medical included breathalyser, height, weight, eye test, hearing test, blood pressure and urine test (to detect recreational drugs).
I consented to all this but made it clear that as i was on cocodamol which has been prescribed me by my doctor - I've been on it for 15 plus years. I showed the lady conducting the test my NHS App showing my prescription saying I was on cocodamol. This drug is converted by the liver into an opioid. Heroin is one such opioid. So I knew I'd fail the test and made her aware that would be the reason why. I know this because the industry I work in has a drug & alcohol policy and workers are subjected to random tests.
Sure enough next day at work my Supervisor received a call from the occupational health company informing her that I'd failed the test and my sample would be sent to their lab to analyse whether it was cocodamol or heroin I was taking. The client suspended me subject to the outcome of the lab results. Apparently the organisation suspends everyone who fails the test. Because some of the workers undertake high risk work outside I completely understand their policy.
I left my place of work and informed my agency rep. I then had an email from the occupational health company the following day with an attachment in letter form addressed to my doctor requesting information in respect of my mental health. I have reluctantly dropped this email into my doctors and was told they would respond in due course.
I am really upset about this request whuch I feel is not proportionate to my role (which is admin/data processing) and has no bearing on my work. I'm processing h&s data, timesheets, invoices etc. So hardly a managerial role!
The occupational health company are employed by the HR team who are the client I'm working for but the agency is my employer so its not even my employer that has requested this. The request asks if I have ever had any suicide ideation, whether I have any psychiatric reports about me, what drugs I was provided with and whether I was compliant throughout treatment and what my prognosis is.
I am very upset and angry about this level of intrusiveness and when they are armed with this information I am questioning how it will affect their interaction with me going forward. Its none of their business at the end of the day. I have discussed how uncomfortable I am with HR and flagged up my disappointment with my agency who are unable to intervene. I feel this is very private information and I should not have to be subjected to this level of intrusiveness. I have worked in social care settings where I have been subjected to extremely confidential and very disturbing information in respect of child emotional, sexual and physical abuse and have never had my employer or the client request psych reports before.
Do you feel this request to access my MH history is disproportionate to my actual role?