difficult situation - relative with mental health problems about to be employed by NHS

[justsomeone]

This is a very difficult situation all-round really. I have a relative on dh's side who is manic-depressive, she's under the care of a psychiatrist and takes various medications, but apparently it's all not working. She has psychotic episodes, completely neglects her young children (sometimes she'll stay in bed all day and the little ones have to fend for themselves - they're very young).
She used to work as a radiographer before having kids, and now, after trying it various other things part-time without being able to hold anyelse down really, has decided to get her old job back (she did not have mental health problems like this back them) and they're eager to have her back, with the shortage in this particular area etc.
I can't help having very grave misgivings about her having a role where she could potentially kill someone by not being 100% well. I would not want myself or my family to be treated with radioactivity by someone who has psychotic episodes and sometimes can't even get out of bed to give her children food.
Will they do medicals/ask for a reference from her GP or anything?

polkadot, thanks, that's the kind of info I wanted. I really don't think she'd hide it from them TBH - it's so out in the open. Her dh is concerned about her taking on this job (and yes, she is a cancer radiographer) and doesn't think she is mentally well enough to do it. Of course I hope that this will the thing to get her out of this state she's in.
I know it sounds horrible, prejudiced, whatever. But you know what - I too have had mental health problems - I was even an inpatient once in an eating disorders unit. I wouldn't have expected to get a job then related to food or exercise, or anything that required me to be mentally alert really. And as for talking about epilepsy - well, people with epilepsy do have to suffer restrictions, driving for instance.
And I still would not want to be treated by her, knowing what I do about how things are at home.

notasheep, she does all sorts of things that seem quite irrational really. Getting pink tatoos all over her neck is one that comes to mind!

polkadot, I'm amazed at your advice! You're seriously suggesting that justsomeone phones her relative's potential line manager and discusses her with him/ her??? What about confidentiality? It's not as if this person is a known sex offender or is likely to do anyone any harm!

If justsomeone seriously thinks that her relative may be a danger to the public (and why should she be?) she should discuss it first with her relative herself (and her dh/ partner), and then , at most with her (ie the relative's) Gp, who would presumably have more insight into the illness, and the job, than justsomeone herself).

I really don't feel that it is js's place to interfere here- especially not to the extent of intervening between her relative and potential employers.

I also find it strange that it be suggested to ring the employer in a whislte blowing fashion.

TBH, I'd maybe mention the returning to work thing to her CPN, more to make sure that your relative has any additional support that she may/may not need during the transition back to work, rather than a tale telling exercise. I certainly wouldn't be phoning her employer or anything like that, that strikes me as a real invasion.

I won't be ringing anyone. As her dh said he wasn't sure whether it was the right thing to do I'm pretty certain that he's checked that she has declared it on her application form, or that he would tell her GP/psych/employer.

Working might be just the thing she needs to help her, she should have the chance surely.

I worried for years once because I overdosed at age 16 and the psych i saw afterwards said my future career may be limited as it would dictate what professions I could work in.
I was devestated. Thankfully my own doctor said that was rubbish.

I also once refused anti d's for fear that I wouldn't be able to train as a nurse eventually. My doctor said the majority of students are on anti d's at some point so if you tell all them they can't train then you'd have no one left.

I think it's a real shame that people aren't given a second chance when they have been ill with something that wasn't their own doing in the first place.

At least one in a hundred people are diagnosed with manic dperession. The course of the illness varies with different people. Some people need medication permanently other's self manage. Some people have long periods of being well during which they may be on medication or they may not, during these periods of "wellness" some are fidning they don't need to think about the illness at all and others will be using coping startegies.

A period of mania or depression may be brought on by stress or trauma (eg bereavement, having a baby, moving house, relationship problems, even lack of sleep)or it may be diifficult to identify a reason. These episodes are different for different people. The outcome is different too.

The routine of work may well help to keep her on top of the illness.

There are also positive sides to manic depression.

Tissy, I actually assumed that anyone expressing a concern to a potential employer would speak to the individual concerned first, if only as a courtesy.

This is not a situation where 'justsomeone' has a legal duty to maintain confidentiality and I don't really see any moral ones either if she is sincerely worried that there may be safety issues in relation to her practice as a radiographer.

IMHE if an individual is appointed to a post when they are not well enough then this leads to situations involving clinical incidents and complaints from patients and colleagues. These do not help the person concerned, they only put them under more pressure and in a public way too.

Just in case anyone was wondering, I'd have responded the same to anyone who was expressing a concern about an individual with a physical problem that might compromise patient safety.

I think the hard part about suffering from bipolar disorder is making decisions about important matters in your life. Weighing up whether it's a sensible decision or an impulse, a brilliant idea or a terrible unnecessary risk.

But in the work context of a radiographer I don't think that applies. A radiographer is one of a team.

What your relative really needs is support for her decision and opportunities to discuss it.

The Disability Discrimination Act states clearly that employers cannot discriminate against someone on grounds of disability. It covers people with MS from the point of diagnosis, or people with epilepsy, for instance (and I'm shocked that anyone would discriminate against people with epilepsy - just because you have epilepsy doesn't mean you can't drive, actually. Depends on individual circumstances/ treatment/stability of symptoms).

However, the Act doesn't protect you if you fail to answer a straight question from an employer. You have to answer 'yes' if they ask you a relevant question. If they then withdraw the job offer they may have broken the law - AFAIK if they do that without exploring your ability to do the job and what adjustments they could make to help you (so they can't get away with saying 'oh, we don't have any disabled loos').

The radiation overdose you mentioned was, I bet, delivered by someone who isn't manic depressive. Perfectly sane people make terrible mistakes all the time.

The NHS is the largest employer in the UK - 1.3m people. If you excluded everyone with a history of mental illness you wouldn't have enough healthcare professionals to go round.

(Actually it's a standing joke amongst docs with bipolar disorder that it comes in bloody handy when you are a junior doc working terrible hours).

justsomeone-pink tattoo doesnt surprise me at all and she prob thinks its ok.
I have spent alot of time with my cousin(we were in the same year at school,so very close and alot of history together) and now apart from her Mum and Dad I know i am the only one that visits her.

After 20 years I continue to be shocked by her behaviour-she was once found in France,still not sure how she got there.

I know for other readers of this that there is a HUGE spectrum within this illness and that sufferers can hold down careers,be Mum...... however the seriousness must be considered.

Just someone-your relative does sound very poorly,really hope she gets the care she needs not
a job to cause more stress,confusion.......

It’s hard to believe that people can be so narrow-minded in this age of equal opportunities. Lots of people suffer from mental illnesses, and lots of them are treated for them and live comparatively normal lives. Yes, sometimes manic depressives have severe highs and lows, but that doesn’t mean that they are incapable of functioning out there in society. I assume that as this relative of yours is under a psychiatrist, she is also taking medication for her disorder, and therefore she recognizes that she has a disorder and wishes to be treated for it. You said she was a radiographer before she became ill, well to me, wanting to go back to being a radiographer just seems like the perfect way for her to try and put her life back to the way it was before she became ill. If she’s disclosed it to her employers, then she will hopefully be getting the support she needs, and hopefully this job will help her have something to get up for in the mornings. And where exactly is the evidence that says someone with a mental illness is not capable of doing a job in the same way that someone without one is, would you say the same of someone with a physical disability? I say good luck to the woman.

Wannabe, you should meet my cousin