AIBU to lose sleep over pre employment health check?

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I've just got myself a brand new job. This is all fantastic, but I have just been asked to fill out some medical forms as part of the pre employment process and for some reason it all seems very invasive to me!

I have two main concerns-

1. How honest do I have to be? I don't have any major health issues, and I don't need any adjustments to be made. I do have very painful periods due to some hormonal disturbances. As a child I had some health issues which have now been fully resolved. Do I need to mention these?

1. Just how much information can they get about me from the NHS? I ask because I don't want them to get contradictory information from two different sources. I haven't been in UK for that long and I've never been treated by the NHS for anything. However, they probably do have some details about my medical history from when I registered with them. I called my GP surgery and asked exactly what information they would give out about me to an employer and the lady categorically said that they would reveal nothing. She said that they wouldn't even acknowledge that I was registered there. Unfortunately, this isn't what the NHS website states It states that a GP can pass on details of medical history to a potential employer and that I can ask to see what these might be before they are passed on... I don't know what to believe here and I would be grateful if someone with more information could clarify this for me.

i'd put no to everything if i was you - they then won't even contact your gp. if you reveal anything they'll write to them for more details.

my last one even asked if i'd ever had painful periods, a hiv test and all sorts of really invasive stuff. i answered no to everything.

Lie

They can't go through your medical records. That's why they are asking you to declare stuff.

I've lied to two employers about my medical history.

The only problem with lying and saying no is that I get private health insurance through my employers and this form is used for that as well.

Secondly, I am not sure exactly what information on my NHS records they might have access to. If I say 'no' and they find that condition listed in my NHS history, then I might be in trouble...

I think that not only do you have the right to see anything the NHS pass to a prospective employer but you can also block them doing so - I.e. your consent is needed?

As I understand it a GP can only pass on information to an employer if you have given written permission.
I wouldn't mention painful periods or anything that happened as a child. I work for the NHS and had to have a medical before starting and I didn't tell them anything that wasn't relevant ie needed adjustments to be made.
I didn't mention , for example, that I'd had PND or that I'd hurt my back 20 years previously but had had no issues since.
They never asked or received any information from my GP.

This is what the NHS website states about employment checks-

www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2313.aspx?CategoryID=68&SubCategoryID=160

It does say my consent is required, but my employers are clever. It seems that by signing papers for background checks, I automatically gave permission for everything.

I did ask my GP surgery if they could tell me exactly what information they have about me on record, but they said that I shouldn't worry because they won't be revealing anything. I don't quite believe that...

Re PHI, usually if you join when you start a new job you would be included in what is called a free cover limit. This means that the insurer covers you regardless of medical issues. It is usually only if you join an employer's scheme later on that the insurer wants to know about you specifically, in case you are trying to play the system.

I would just declare anything that is relevant now i.e anything that i am being treated for now.

Also, it seems to me that "consent" given to your employer via a general ok to background checks is neither here nor there. Under data protection law it is the NHS which controls the relevant information and therefore the NHS which needs your consent to use that information for any purpose not within the scope of reasons they have been put in possession of it.

I work in an Occupational Health department and we do these pre employment assessments daily. Please do not lie. I have seen people lose their jobs for not declaring medical conditions on the forms. Also if you have an accident at work and take the employer to court, or if your job role changes and you cant do certain aspects due to medical reasons, these sorts of declarations are really closely looked at.
We only request GP info with signed consent and most of the time if your previous medical conditions are irrelevant to your job role you will still be cleared as fit to start.

So would I have to give written consent to my GP in order to authorise the medical check?

There is another thing I am concerned about. They mentioned something about calling me for an examination if required (based on the information I provide in the questionnaire). I am really apprehensive about giving any details about my periods because I don't want to be called for a pelvic exam :( I actually have a complete phobia of internal examinations unless it's with the doctor in my home country who I have been going to since I was a child.

Yes, they'd need you to sign a consent form to contact your GP or any hospitals for medical information. They have no cause to do this, so they won't. Even if they did, you can refuse to give consent. It would be completely illegal for them to write to your GP and your GP give information out, without your written consent.

Under the Equality Act they can't revoke the offer on the basis of what you put on the questionnaire, if you are well enough to do the job now.

I would just put down anything major that may reoccur and answer the questions honestly.

If you put down something they were worried about, they'd ask you to see an occupational health doctor - just so that they could see if you needed any adjustments put in place. The occupational health dr would only write to your GP if there were confusion about your abilities/diagnosis and only then, with your written consent.

It's a screening process - just to ensure people are safe to be working e.g. not intending to climb ladders with a dodgy knee.

Usually you send the forms in a sealed envelope and they are screened by occupational health - your manager/colleagues should not even see them.

I genuinly dont think that they will want to see you due to gynae issues. Its things like if you were going to be a hospital porter and you have a history of chronic back pain.
We ask for your signed consent to access gp medical records, never normally off the back of a pre employment assessment but for instance if you were referred to us for support following a diagnosis.
Please dont worry too much about it

Almost sure they won't send you for a pelvic exam unless your new job is as surrogate

Congrats on your new job

I got called in for an examination after declaring eczema. As I work in a school, they needed to be sure that I wasn't going to be affected by scenarios such as painting with the children. The person who examined me was actually quite annoyed that such a minor case was put through to her and said that in future I should write on the declaration something along the lines of 'mild case- no treatment necessary'.

So I would declare your gynae issues, but make it clear that it won't affect your job, eg 'painful periods requiring OTC painkillers on occasion'. They can only let it affect the application if it would affect your ability to do the job (such as if it involved driving or operating heavy machinery and you needed to regularly take strong painkillers).

Oh- and even if you were called in for an examination, they wouldn't do an internal! How can they tell how painful your periods are by looking up there? They would use the opportunity to have a chat about how your periods affect you, how you cope with them, and how it is likely to affect the job.

I really wouldn't worry about this.

I've had a medical for most jobs I have started.

I've always been honest. I've never been given an internal (and I also have painful periods).

There is normally a box to tick on the form about consenting to them contacting your GP.

I am going to have to tell a white lie on this one then. Truthfully, my periods are the periods from hell and I use strong painkillers to cope with them. However, I have had this problem forever and I have learnt to cope with it. I'm pretty sure I won't have to miss work because of my periods. I'm the kind to show up for work even if the pain is killing me.

I'll just say something like "occasional painful periods resolved easily with OTC painkillers".

Can you fil it out then also write on the same form you explicitly don't give permission for them to write to your GP unless you consent?

If you lie about a pre existing condition, your health insurance will be invalid.

I have been seen by Occ Health for starting a new job routinely - it was things like eye check, possibly hearing check, see if there are any problems for you in that role eg manual handling/back problems, immunisations record.

Never an 'examination' as such. I think your planned response is perfect, truth but no details.

GP wise - the GP can with your consent provide the employer with a report. It is not open access to your health records but the GP may summarise relevant health problems and you can either say no, or you can insist on seeing it before it gets sent to the employer. Eg ear infections/appendicitis as a child is of no interest to anyone.

Well, my GP surgery is rather brilliant (note sarcasm). I called to ask how I should go about requesting access to my medical records and they seemed quite panicked at the suggestion.

Then they did a search on their system only to find out that my records have been archived and can no longer be found. Apparently this is because I haven't been to see them in so long. Pardon me for having had a healthy couple of years!!

In all seriousness, I think this is because I moved and didn't register with a new GP.

DO NOT LIE

I am one of those people who has, a long time ago, lost my job for not declaring a medical condition on one of these forms. They actually produced my copy of the form in the tribunal hearing, with my signature on it. It rendered my contract invalid

I did this because I was mistakenly led to believe that suffering from this medical condition would be a barrier to employment. It wouldn't have been. Failing to declare the information was.