Occupational health - healthcare assistant

[JinX]

Hi,
Ive just been offered a job as a healthcare assistant on a mental health unit. great!
problem. occupational health!
ive read the other threads on here, and i am going to tell them about my self harm and depression.
but im wondering as to how much detail to go into in it? i havent self harmed in...i dont know how long, ive forgotten the last time i did...maybe the start of this year, or the end of last year. im still on anti depressants, but am slowly coming off them now.
so, any advice from those who have been here and done this?
thanks
JinX

[sparklyshoes]

I had the same problem with getting on my course as fallen angel but I suppose it's because you are training for a profession. Healthcare should not be so hard, I used to be a healthcare worker with the elderly mentally ill and the staff there were supportive, they knew that I had depression (they asked for a list of any medications you were on and I was on an a/d at the time) but later on it came to light that I self harmed and the managers and the staff were really supportive with me. I hope that you do not let this hold you back, what you have done in the past is nothing to be ashamed of, depression is nothing to be ashamed of, just be honest with them as honesty is a really appealing quality in people. You don't need to tell them your life story. And if they do not take you on, the way I see it is that there are plenty of other opportunities out there, as fallenangel has proved, there's always something else round the corner x

[l'il esky]

work have been great with my sh, thankfully they understand that you are a risk to yourself not others.

as for occ health, the questions are usually tick boxes, with a tiny gap to add bit more info, so you could put rough dates down and name of medication. if they feel that they need to ask more questions then you will have a meeting with them and they will assess sort of if you are ok to continue with work. but this is in the interest of you to see if you are 'strong' (if thats the right word) to cope with work etc

but the fact you havent done it in a while and are doing well means that they really shouldnt have any grounds for not letting you continue.

good luck xx

[Starz*]

itll be fine, you might have an appointment with an acc. health doctor and so long as your self harming is in the past itll be fine.

thats what happened for me anyway, he just checked my arm to see that i wasnt actively self harming.

[Sneckie]

HI

I actually have had positive experiences with OHS . I wasnt long off antidepressants when i had my initial OHS interview and i had stopped self harming . I put the basics on my form and explained more in my OHS interview and they were fine with it . Last year i voluntarily went back to OHS and admitted that id started self-harming again and they were really supportive . At the moment im off work and back on medication and they have been fine and are happy for me to go back to work as soon as im well enough.

hope you get on ok
jill