New employer asking for medication details
Discussion
I have been sent a pre-employment medical questionnaire along with new starter forms and contract which is all fine apart from one thing.
There is a question on one of the forms that asks me to state what medication I take, can they ask this question? I take some prescribed medication for a condition that will not affect how I perform in my role and will not have any affect on anyone else I work with. However I do not want to detail what this medication is as it will no doubt lead to them making assumptions as to why I take it which is none of their business and not a topic I wish to discuss with my employer. Where do I stand on this?
There is a question on one of the forms that asks me to state what medication I take, can they ask this question? I take some prescribed medication for a condition that will not affect how I perform in my role and will not have any affect on anyone else I work with. However I do not want to detail what this medication is as it will no doubt lead to them making assumptions as to why I take it which is none of their business and not a topic I wish to discuss with my employer. Where do I stand on this?
i4got said:
Have you given them permission to contact your GP for your medical records? If not then personally I'd ignore the question - they have no way to find out.
I haven't and if they asked for my GP details and medical records I'd say no from the start. That info really is of no concern for an employer in most cases.When I joined my current company I let them know every medical thing I had. Asthma eczema and nut allergy. Details of the inhalers I have and how severe the nut allergy was. So when masks became compulsary I was asked if I wanted to be exempt but I am doing ok with them for now. The funny thing is now soooo many staff have suddenly developed asthma. They have no inhalers and nothing declared on their medical records.
Depending on size of company, the HR people may keep this info to themselves and it's just to gauge suitability for employment so will have no bearing on prospects/career progression etc.
The pre employment checks my employer carries out includes a medical questionnaire but all I see as recruiting manager is the summary i.e. this person is/is not fit to employ, requires no/some adjustments etc
Can't see why you wouldn't want to tell them if, as you say, your medication makes no difference to whether you can do the job or not.
The pre employment checks my employer carries out includes a medical questionnaire but all I see as recruiting manager is the summary i.e. this person is/is not fit to employ, requires no/some adjustments etc
Can't see why you wouldn't want to tell them if, as you say, your medication makes no difference to whether you can do the job or not.
Just to clarify, neither the medication nor the condition effect my safety, how I do the job, or the people around me! My question is do I have any obligation or not to tell them. I dont want to discuss my condition(s) with my employer as its absolutely none if their business. I aksi have asthma and will tell them about that and my inhalers, its mild asthma so doesn't affect day to day but worth them knowing.
Also how does it work if you've been with a company for a few years and you are diagnosed with a condition, are you supposed to tell them about it and any medication?
Also how does it work if you've been with a company for a few years and you are diagnosed with a condition, are you supposed to tell them about it and any medication?
MonkeyMatt said:
Just to clarify, neither the medication nor the condition effect my safety, how I do the job, or the people around me! My question is do I have any obligation or not to tell them. I dont want to discuss my condition(s) with my employer as its absolutely none if their business. I aksi have asthma and will tell them about that and my inhalers, its mild asthma so doesn't affect day to day but worth them knowing.
Also how does it work if you've been with a company for a few years and you are diagnosed with a condition, are you supposed to tell them about it and any medication?
It may not affect what you do in your job but it could affect what a paramedic or first aider may do if you have an incident at work. So yes you do have an obligation to inform them. Also how does it work if you've been with a company for a few years and you are diagnosed with a condition, are you supposed to tell them about it and any medication?
Edited by stumpage on Monday 2nd November 15:34
stumpage said:
It may not effect what you do in your job but it could effect what a paramedic or first aider may do if you have an incident at work. So yes you do have an obligation to inform them.
In what first aid situation are you expecting Claire from HR to trot through with your medication details before the Paramedic can carry on with his life saving ?Yes of course notify of Diabetes or Epilepsy for the obvious reasons but general medication sounds a bit OTT
stumpage said:
December 2017. X from the machine shop, collapses on the shop floor. Out of it unconscious and not responding. Paramedics called and try to revive him. We look at the at risk list in personnel and no mention of him. We are now in the ambulance and he is still out of it. I manage to get on the phone to his daughter asking if he has any health issues, she informs me of his condition and what he is taking for it, I tell the paramedics and they react. Injecting him various things. After 15 mins he starts to stabilise and hour later he gains consciousness.
I week later when he is back to work we have the discussion about his medical history, he didn’t think we needed to know as he hadn’t had an episode for 6 years.
This is real. It happened and he is alive only because I managed to get hold of his daughter.
So I stand by my opinion.
What was the condition - as I said diabetes, epilepsy for the obvious reasons to the point that you should make that condition to your first aider but knowing every bit of medication especially for conditions that aren't going to put you flat on your back in a workplace is a bit invasiveI week later when he is back to work we have the discussion about his medical history, he didn’t think we needed to know as he hadn’t had an episode for 6 years.
This is real. It happened and he is alive only because I managed to get hold of his daughter.
So I stand by my opinion.
I'm going to stop beating about the bush here and make an educated guess that the op has a mental health condition and is worried he will be negatively viewed or treated on it.
If it is under control with medication or counciling then there is no reason not to tell your employer and for you to be fit to work.
If it is an ongoing issue and not under control then it is unfair for you to work and probably not right for you to be at work especially as most work environments are far more stressful in the current climate. Or they need to know so as not to put you in a situation that agitates it.
If it is under control with medication or counciling then there is no reason not to tell your employer and for you to be fit to work.
If it is an ongoing issue and not under control then it is unfair for you to work and probably not right for you to be at work especially as most work environments are far more stressful in the current climate. Or they need to know so as not to put you in a situation that agitates it.
stumpage said:
It may not affect what you do in your job but it could affect what a paramedic or first aider may do if you have an incident at work. So yes you do have an obligation to inform them.
Doesn't affect how a paramedic would treat me in the slightest, so how am I legally oblige to tell them?Edited by stumpage on Monday 2nd November 15:34
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