AIBU to lose sleep over pre employment health check?

[AViolinPlayer]

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 thought you said you had asthma as a child and hadn't had any symptoms for 10+ years. I'd disclose the theophylline and say I take it occasionally for asthma. Although if you say you had childhod asthma and no longer have any symptoms as well you are likely to raise red flags.

Honestly you are overthinking this. Just be as open and honest as you can. Nobody will care and you could potentially save yourself a lot of bother in the long run.

ClayDavis,

As you must be aware there is no "cure" for asthma. When I say I haven't had any trouble for 10 years, I am referring to asthma attacks and/or severe breathlessness. I haven't had these issues in over 10 years.

But in bad weather conditions I might get a tightness in the chest, which usually goes away on it's own and occasionally requires a medicine.

The form is extremely limiting and doesn't give me the flexibility to explain this issue properly.

I have been asked if I am currently on any medication and the fact is that I am not!!! I'm not even on the birth control pill.

I don't know if I am allergic to anything. I used to think I had a few allergies, but it was never confirmed because I never bothered to go for tests.

Are you currently on any medication?

I take xxxxxxx for asthma when necessary; average once / twice a month / week / day.

AViolinPlayer as others have said you are overthinking this.

Would having asthma effect your ability to do the job ... i.e are you going to be a deep sea diver on an oil rig?

This is not the sort of stuff that when you declare it will stop you getting the job

Neither will painful periods ....the majority of women have painful periods

You do appear to be overworrying

I would probably say no to the medication questions but usually on these forms is a space at the end to mention anything else which is not covered by the form.
I would probably put a mention of the occasional asthma there.

Unfortunately asthma, like stuff like high blood pressure is something that is best to disclose.

i certainly wouldn't worry about the periods stuff though.

The form has no space for additional notes much to my annoyance! There is a phone number however, and I could give them a quick call to explain that I very rarely get some minor symptoms that I take medication for. I don't actually require the medicine but I still take it as a precaution to prevent minor symptoms from turning into something worse.

RoseRedder- I know I am overworrying :( I understand now that declaring the condition is not going to stop me getting the job, but I am more concerned about them assuming that I have lied about something or withheld any information when that is not my intention. I just don't see the point of elaborating upon something that is essentially irrelevant.

Just write what I have suggested. It will cover all bases. Admitting occasional use but not labouring the point. They can call you if the need more information.

Why are you stressing about this so much?

If they have a box to answer the question about current medications I would put about the theophylline there. Just a simple statement like 'Occasional use of theophylline for asthma when needed.' It's what I would put for salbutamol.

You are essentially taking a drug, it's just intermittently rather than everyday.

But even if I did take theophylline and didn't declare it, how would they ever find out? They haven't said anything about a blood test being done to confirm all medications.

What is the issue with declaring it??

AViolinPlayer

Is there something else worrying you in your medical records?

Something that you want no one else to know about?

I am asking because having asthma and painfull periods are ten a penny and nothing to worry about.

If and when you sign a consent form for your employer to access your medical/gp records in practice this only means they will, if they feel necessary to ask your gp to confirm current prescribed medication/treatment

9 times out of 10 they don't, because there is no reason to

It does not mean your life history of medical notes are handed over to your potential employer.

I'm unsure as to why this is playing on your mind so much?

Please be assured asthma and paniful periods will not prevent you from getting the job

They might not ever find out. The problem is what happens if they do find out. At the moment you have the law on your side. It becomes a bit trickier if you lie on the form. And lying by omission will be considered lying.

I think you need to stop for a second and think about how you approach this form. Reading back through your posts, it's looking like you are trying to hide something/everything and only put down stuff that might be on your medical notes so you don't get caught out. I realise you may have specific reasons for this though. I think you are going to end up tying yourself in knots if you continue this approach.

But I am not lying

I am declaring the asthma, I am declaring the periods and the medication. I am simply not saying that I am on the medication currently which is actually true. I am not taking those pills right now.

I don't want to mention that I still them occasionally because I don't want to cause an alarm about something that isn't an issue at all.

Well then don't mention it.

OK. This might be a spirit of the law/letter of the law type scenario. How often do you need to take the theophyline? Every couple of years/ once a year? You probably need to find out exactly what they mean by 'currently'. It might be that they do intend you to put down medications that you need to take occasionally to control symptoms of an illness. It is IMO, a badly worded question if they mean that though.

I take it when I need it and sometimes as a precaution - like when I went to a place where it was -15 degrees. I could go a year without taking it or use it twice a year. It really depends.

It was initially prescribed as something that I had to take all my life, but I could never remember to and I didn't really require it either. So we switched to taking it as and when needed.

The question goes "are you on any medication?"

Well, no I am not! I haven't even had a painkiller in over two months.

Fine. Don't mention it then I still can't work out why you're scared to mention it.

I will PM and explain.

I think that might fall firmly into the guess the question we mean to ask camp.

What you need to be wary of is ending up in front of an employment tribunal if they think you've left something off. There's no reason that should be the case as they might not find out. I know I need to take it sometimes but I wasn't taking it when I filled the form out might not be a particularly strong defence .

So many people have asthma they are probably not going to question it unless your job is hugely strenuous or requires the use of lots of chemicals. Even if they did being on lots of meds and controlled would look much better than not taking it seriously IYSWIM.

I'm struggling to see why you are freaking out so much about this. For an office based job no one is going to be testing for OTC or prescribed meds. What are you trying up hide here?

I am not hiding anything!! I am just trying to work out the best way to put across the details that need to be revealed.

I thought it was just occasional asthma, now we are talking about something to be revealed

I'm beyond baffled at your reaction tbh. You've described mild and common conditions that you seem so convinced your employer is going to care about. They really aren't, you already said it's an office job, so you're not going to be deep sea diving.