Adult health questionnaire for helpers on Cub Scouts outing - AIBU to not give all my info?

[Numberfour]

If an adult assists at a Cubs day outing, they have to fill in a detailed form about their health and what medication they are on etc.

AIBU in NOT wanting to disclose what prescription meds I am on? It is nothing horrific or life threatening if I do not take them. I just don't want all and sundry to know this kind of info about me.

I am curious to know if IABU, though I have already decided not to supply those details.

Surely, given recent equalities legislation and the way it extends disability discrimination to ban pre-employment health questionnaires, one could argue that the Cubs don't have the even right to ask, especially as it wouldn't be justifiable on safety grounds. But I'm not a lawyer.

In response to your question, no YANBU. Hell would freeze over before I supplied any such organisation with such information.

When I worked for a similar organisation, our form for volunteers asked whether there was any 'relevant health information which it would be helpful for us [ie group leaders] to be aware of'.

That's a great idea, BMDAFL, to ask for "any relevant info". I am, for better or worse, becoming a formal assistant from the autumn term and I will recommend those changes to be made. It is not as if we are going sky diving without parachutes or some such.

You could put some suggestions after 'relevent information', such as epilepsy, as i supposed it is in case there is an event which includes flash photography or a trip to the pictures.

You will have to check their policy on declaring communicable diseases, if it is required then it should be given to a named person in a sealed envelope, to fit in with privacy and confidentiality laws and policies.

I don't think you're being at all unreasonable. I wouldn't include anything that was at all 'personal'.

I adore Scouting, but I have medical info that I wouldn't want flapping about in a ringbinder in the Scout hut.

If you have asthma or something that could kick of at any moment and need a bit of emergency care, I'd include that. Otherwise, I think it's just a case of making sure that you include the phone number of an emergency contact. That should surely be enough.

If someone asks you to do something that's particularly dangerous for you, a simple 'No' should suffice; no need to have to justify it.

Christ no, I wouldn't tell them my private details.

They only need to know about stuff that might be relevant on the trip, such as do you carry an epi-pen or inhaler, in case you take ill.

They don't need to know anything else.

Next they'll be asking if you're having a period.

but the info might be needed if you are on a trip/camp and you are taken unwell so that this info can be passed to medics

The info is only asked for when on outings or residentials in case the individual requires medical treatment.
I am involved in Guiding and this info is asked for and held by the First Aider for the duration of the event and is confidential. If anyone does not want it to be seen it is submitted in a named sealed envelope which is then collected by the individual at the end of the event. It will only be opened in case of emergency so that medical staff have all the relevant information immediately.

I'd definitely put on the name of the medication (not necessarily the condition. If you had an accident 9which can happen on cub camp) and were knocked unconscious, the hospital would know what to give you, to keep you stable.

Thanks for all the replies. I think that perhaps we should have been told that it could be kept confidential, gcat, so will suggest this, too.

I agree with Gcat.

I am a member of St John Ambulance and fill in one of these forms before any courses (even ones I am running) but for adults they all go in a sealed envelope and given back to the adult in the envelope unless needed in the case of an emergency.

So if you fall ill during camp because of some pre-existing condition the person in charge of First Aid has to second guess it because you didn't trust them.
If you don't trust the person in charge of First Aid to keep your details confidential I would suggest you talk to the leader in charge. It's not done to pry, it's done for your health and safety.

Why on earth wouldn't it be confidential? We do manage to keep the children's stuff private.

I had not considered putting the info in a sealed envelope so will be doing that, weblette. It is only anti-anxiety stuff and vit B6 for major PMS. Not particuarly drastic stuff.

Sorry if I was a bit short, I've been harangued about Scout stuff over the last few days so am slightly taut about it all!

Um, in my experience of the voluntary sector, there exists quite an, ahem, range of attitudes towards privacy, confidentiality, data security andd the like. Really, I'd only trust someone I knew.

Also there isn't the 'blame' and stigma afforded to children with medical conditions in the same way as there are towards adults. A child with HIV or hepatitis will be pitied whereas an adult with be judged and considered, by some, as fair game for gossip.

Small villages can put people at a disadvantage because everyone knows each other and the first aid officer may be a relative. But that is why a sealed envelope is standard practice and the OP should mention the lack of one, to start with, and lack of clarity in regards to how the information will be used.

That's okay, Weblette. I hope you have been able to get matters sorted.

Birdsgottafly, I will most certainly raise those issues on Saturday.

I wondered if I would get any replies to this AIBU!!

I've been an adult instructor in the youth sector for almost 14 years now and I have never been asked for my medical info or medication. We have a medical upon joining where known conditions are noted such as epilepsy or asthma and then it is up to us to assess the risk of any health concerns. I am looking after 30-60 thirteen to eighteen year olds, if I can't trust myself to be careful or medicate myself, maybe I shouldn't be looking after the kids. I am an adult for goodness sake!
When we are on 2 weeks away and there is something wrong, we ask for a lift to the drs or hospital with no questions asked, that's the way it should be.

Catwoman- if your contract has been renewed in all that time, then that is quite unusual and must be just your organisational policy.

There will be other staff who have had to declare it as i have to in my job, even when i work on agency and when i do voluntary work.

Sealed envelope sounds like a sensible idea.

Birds, photosensitive epilepsy is quite rare and affects only a tiny percentage of people with epilepsy. Fortunately many people with epilepsy are perfectly fine as long as we keep taking the tablets. If I was going away overnight and in charge of children, I would probably tell someone BUT only to make sure they don't believe any of those stupid myths about forcing something into your gob to 'stop you choking on your own tongue' (biggest risk actually is the person who believes the myth will get bitten).