Help needed with filling in Occy Health Questionnaire - history of mental illness.

[TotalChaos]

I've recently been offered an NHS clerical job. And unfortunately their occupational health questionnaire is quite searching....I have a history over last 12 years of various spates of depression/OCD, all straightforwardly resolved with meds, never had a day off work/uni etc for mental health reasons.

is it OK if I put this:-

Had antenatal depression and OCD whilst pregnant with my son 5 years ago, which has successfully been treated with medication. I am continuing on a low dose of medication as a preventative measure. Have also had brief episodes of OCD/mild depression in 1995 and 1999. My anxiety problems have never interfered with academic or paid work, and I have had no sickness absence for this reason.

As an NHS employed employer (iyswim) I would be quite happy with that and I expect Occ Health would be to.

for the questionnaire you can just put that you've had depression in the past and that this is successfully managed with medication.

they will probably want to talk to you in person and you can give them more details then.

thanks! I think I would prefer to leave the detail in as I think if I have to discuss it with them I will feel less stressed if I don't have to give all the background iyswim. do they routinely check your health with your GP, or would they only do that if triggered by what you admit to in prior medical history?

They can't access your GP records unless you give them permission afaik - and that would be going a bit far imo. I would leave the detail in as I think if you don't they will definately call for more info anyway.

If it's like my NHS experience, you will be sent for an occupational health interview before you can start. If, at the interview, they think they need more information, they'll ask you to sign a release and will write to your GP. All your GP has to to is write back and confirm what you've said.

Shouldn't be a problem in your situation.

Thanks ladies! On a more cheerful note - for a non-clinical note, can I just put rough details of immunisation history - i.e. the year? or will they require exact dates?

I think that's a bit too much info to be honest. I would just say "depression" and leave it at that.

or lie.

are you an NHS employer or employee branflake may I ask? I am sorely tempted to lie but suspect it would bite me on the arse in future.

I lied with my first NHS job (was there four years). Didn't lie with the current NHS one, but wish to god I had.

Technically if you lie I think they can sack you later if they find out (but don't quote me on that).

I just feel like it's such an invasion of privacy.

I went to an NHS Occy Health interview with a similar sort of declaration. I said that I had mild PND and had gone on a low dose of antidepressants to treat it. I was still on them, but mainly because I was waiting for the right opportunity to come off them. This was exactly as it happened.

They did query it, but after a brief chat, they were happy.

thanks ladies. Think I will tell a slightly less confessional version of the truth than I put in the OP.