Dreaded New Job Medical Form

[ajrocks]

Yeah so its exactly that :-(
I got a brilliant new job working in a diff school to the one I now work in but its a higher permanent role with a big responsibility to one child different to just the hour I do at the moment and I'm so happy cause I know i'd be good at it and its what i've wanted for so long,so they've officially offered me the job I start on the 10th march however she's sending out the paperwork today done the CRB so its now the dreaded medical form and from memory in the past I know theirs a section on mental health great! I don't know what to do I'm worried I know I can't lie though I'm so tempted but I know i'll get dismissed potentially if I do lie so the only other option is to write bipolar on the form and hope for the best but if I was in the headteachers shoes and was really happy with someone in interview and then found that out alarm bells would start to ring wouldn't they?
I mean its a trusted job i'm looking after children of course it's going to seem quite concerning right?
What shall I do? :-/ I mean I guess I know what I should do but yeah any advice is appreciated thanks oh and ps does anyone know if a job offer can be retracted by them? thanks in advance :)

[Shenanigans]

If you've already been offered the job they cannot retract that because you have mental health issues. It's discrimination and illegal.
Generally, these forms are for the purpose of supporting employees with disabilities and medical conditions. An employer must provide support and adapt employment to support any employee with issues. Legally, they must provide reasonable adjustments (if needed) to adjust the job and work to beat help you. Telling the truth means that if you do need extra support they are aware and can put together a suitable plan to help you.
I can understand that this can be worrying, and they may wish to speak to you about how you're doing and how you feel you'll be able to cope with the job role, but as long as you feel capable and comfortable with what's expected of you there shouldn't be a problem. It just means that if you meet a bump in the road later down the line your enployer will be able to support you through that.
Good luck with the new job!

[ajrocks]

Thankyou Shenanigans your response was helpful :-)
I just wish that I could do the job for a couple months so they can actually see me perform at work and see it doesn't effect my abilityand then fill out the form lol! but I know I must fill this out and get it back to them soon.
It was good in my last school job because I hadn't been officially diagnosed when I took the job and i'd literally been there about 3 months when I got diagnosed and medication etc so then even though I was worried about what the headteacher and line manager would think I knew they'd already seen my capabilities plus I knew the headteacher would be fine so I found declaring it to them so much easier and glad I did because she signed me off at the end of last year because I had a bad trigger which yes goes back to your point you made about a bump down the road :-/ i had that but hopefully i've gotten that bump sorted for the moment but yes I see the reasons I just don't want her judging me before i'e even started the job :-/
Thankyou shenanigans :)

[Shenanigans]

That's understandable but it also shows you are capable to do the job and also shows that you are aware when you need extra support. These are positive signs to any employer. You have proved your capability in your previous job, you have also proved that you are aware when your mental health may effect this capability and have worked with your previous employer to enable you to counter act this.
The fear of stigma is understandable, but from what you've spoken about I don't see there to be any reason for your new employer to have doubts about you. They may wish to speak about how you are doing, what they can do to help support you in your role and things like this but this is their legal requirement and is not a judgement on your ability to do the job.
Stigma is frightening, but it is being tackled. Most people nowadays are much more insightful about mental health as it effects so many people and people are beginning to be a lot more open about it. Try to focus on the positives of this, it sounds like a very good thing and something you are looking forward to. But starting any new job is nerve wrecking and perhaps this anxiety is attaching itself to this medical form right now. Remember that you have already been offered the job, it is yours, the form is a legal formality really, but also something that you can use to establish he best possible plan to enable you to be supported and happy in this new job.

[ajrocks]

That's understandable but it also shows you are capable to do the job and also shows that you are aware when you need extra support. These are positive signs to any employer. You have proved your capability in your previous job, you have also proved that you are aware when your mental health may effect this capability and have worked with your previous employer to enable you to counter act this.
The fear of stigma is understandable, but from what you've spoken about I don't see there to be any reason for your new employer to have doubts about you. They may wish to speak about how you are doing, what they can do to help support you in your role and things like this but this is their legal requirement and is not a judgement on your ability to do the job.
Stigma is frightening, but it is being tackled. Most people nowadays are much more insightful about mental health as it effects so many people and people are beginning to be a lot more open about it. Try to focus on the positives of this, it sounds like a very good thing and something you are looking forward to. But starting any new job is nerve wrecking and perhaps this anxiety is attaching itself to this medical form right now. Remember that you have already been offered the job, it is yours, the form is a legal formality really, but also something that you can use to establish he best possible plan to enable you to be supported and happy in this new job.

Thankyou that says it all really :-) x

[startingagain]

The medical form is confidential and goes to occupational health and not the headteacher. OH will ask to see you and then ask for a report from your GP to check that you are fit for work. They may then write to the head to say if they need to put in place any reasonable adjustments. If you have already been working I wouldn't worry about it.

[ajrocks]

Ok thankyou for that i didn't think of it going to O.H instead.I hate occupational health because in the past i applied to do nursing abd because i told the absolute truth on the forms even though id been free of anorexia and self harm for years they grilled me,weighed me accused me of being a bit underweight to which i replied no i'm in my BMI actually i was slap bang in the muddle of it-stupid woman and genuinely made m me feel like i should've just lied :-/ so yeah i guess this all stems from there a bit but yes you are right i have been working since i was 16 holding down 3 jobs sometimes and in a school too so that must count for something then :-) thabkyou for the reassurabce :)

[Copernicus]

Hi, from skim reading it looks like there's really good advice here, and you shouldn't be discriminated against for MH problems.

I just wanted to suggest that you could put "bipolar (well-managed with medication)" or similar on your form if that's true and it feels better to put it that way.

[ajrocks]

Hi, from skim reading it looks like there's really good advice here, and you shouldn't be discriminated against for MH problems.

I just wanted to suggest that you could put "bipolar (well-managed with medication)" or similar on your form if that's true and it feels better to put it that way.

Hi Copernicus,Thankyou for that thats a good idea :-)
I actually spoke to my present headteacher today about it all and she was reassuring too and said I've coped extremely well there and explained it all what you've all said and also said if needs be she'd be happy to have a chat to the other headteacher if it got to that because i'm totally capable and said if you had a bad back and you needed a week off its the same thing so shes really put my mind at rest but yeah I know that its highly likely I will have to visit occupational health before i start-yey! :-/ but i'm prepared now and I'm going to put a short covering letter with my form to explain a bit that its managed etc :-) thankyou guys

[ajrocks]

Hi guys,just a lil update for you-I started on monday all was fine but got a phone call tuesday from occupational health asking me when i start-they were very surprised to hear i'd started already,i don't think it was done the right way round but i'm glad i started before i heard from them.
She asked me loads questions that i'd written on the form about medication,how many a day etc etc and at the end of the convo she said i'm going to pass you fit and i will send off for your medical records now (which i've asked to see first.) and that she now speaks to the headteacher at my school and has to say the equility act applies in my case but will not be able to say why but the headteacher may well ask me and its up to me what i say or how much i say.so i feel a bit better that i didn't even have to see them face to face :-) the only niggle left now is what the dr writes because i'm not sure if i wrote on the form that i take a sedative at night and i don't know if the doctor can say things such as i had a set back in november time and was self harming haven't a clue how in depth these things go to be honest.but i'll cross that bridge when i come to it i guess.The job is going well though-tiring but fulfilling :-) and the child has made a huge improvement :-)

[LionCondemned]

Hey there,

This is really positive to read, telling the truth is always the best option. it sounds like you are taking on a lot of responsibility with this new job, but remember to put you and your needs first.
take care hun x