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Question for upcoming medical

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Busby

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Hi I have a question which I would appreciate someone with some experience could possible answer. I have had a conditional offer for rail shunter in Penzance and I only have my medical to go. Problem is I have suffered from severe depression for a number of years and take an anti depressant (SSRI)

I understand for safety critical roles this may and probably will go against me. However I am currently employed by first group in a safety critical role (First Bus) and previous to this also held a safety critical role in health and social care for 6 years.
Will they take it on a case by case basis? I honestly can’t believe I have been offered this opportunity after passing all tests and 2 hour interview and to fall at this hurdle would hurt!

my depression though long standing has no bearing on my work ethic or performance.

if anyone could help me maybe they have had a similar situation and what was their experience I would greatly appreciate it.

I hope I’ve posted this in the right place. (My first post) thanks guys.
 
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Horizon22

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You just need to be upfront at your medical about it - the Occupational Health team will ask you any pertinent questions there. Also there will be a drugs test, and it may be flagged up there. There are several posts on htere about people who have been on anti-depressants and are in safety critical roles. But if you don't raise it, pass the medical, and then an issue comes up whilst in the role that will be much worse.
 

Busby

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You just need to be upfront at your medical about it - the Occupational Health team will ask you any pertinent questions there. Also there will be a drugs test, and it may be flagged up there. There are several posts on htere about people who have been on anti-depressants and are in safety critical roles. But if you don't raise it, pass the medical, and then an issue comes up whilst in the role that will be much worse.
I am going to be 100% straight with them i understand absolutely the safety implications.
 

Horizon22

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I am going to be 100% straight with them i understand absolutely the safety implications.

That's the right approach. Not sure anyone else can advise any more than that - the OH team and your line management team would take it from there. As I said, there are definitely people within safety critical roles on anti-depressants although they might have to be on specific medication accordingly.
 

Busby

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That's the right approach. Not sure anyone else can advise any more than that - the OH team and your line management team would take it from there. As I said, there are definitely people within safety critical roles on anti-depressants although they might have to be on specific medication accordingly.
Thanks I’m just so nervous about it to come so far and to be unsure about it. Appreciate the advice.
 

iwasyoungonce

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As far as I'm aware SSRI's can cause drowsiness in certain people (dependant on levels taken) which would be your employers main concern.
also some anti depressants can also be muscle relaxants another concern for them
I'm not a medical expert just going on what I've picked up over the years in my current role/industry.
 

Busby

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As far as I'm aware SSRI's can cause drowsiness in certain people (dependant on levels taken) which would be your employers main concern.
also some anti depressants can also be muscle relaxants another concern for them
I'm not a medical expert just going on what I've picked up over the years in my current role/industry.
I’ll just have to see what they say, I’m not against coming off them gradually if it meant I’d be able to the job and my doctor agreed.
 

Red Devil

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Hi I have a question which I would appreciate someone with some experience could possible answer. I have had a conditional offer for rail shunter in Penzance and I only have my medical to go. Problem is I have suffered from severe depression for a number of years and take an anti depressant (SSRI)

I understand for safety critical roles this may and probably will go against me. However I am currently employed by first group in a safety critical role (First Bus) and previous to this also held a safety critical role in health and social care for 6 years.
Will they take it on a case by case basis? I honestly can’t believe I have been offered this opportunity after passing all tests and 2 hour interview and to fall at this hurdle would hurt!

my depression though long standing has no bearing on my work ethic or performance.

if anyone could help me maybe they have had a similar situation and what was their experience I would greatly appreciate it.

I hope I’ve posted this in the right place. (My first post) thanks guys.
As has been said countless times on other threads honesty is the best policy,in fact the only policy.
They'll ask you about any medication you're taking,then tell them. They then may ask you to elaborate eg. Dosage of tablets etc.
Honestly this is nothing new to these people. There are people working on the railway who take a whole range of different medication, antidepressants included. They've been, as I hope you will be upfront with the medical people.
 

Sprinter153

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My experience is not quite the same but when I was a guard (also at GWR) I was on an SSRI and an antipsychotic. Occupational Health were perfectly happy to allow me to do safety critical work once they were satisfied I was on a stable dose and wasn’t experiencing any drowsiness or psychotic symptoms. I’d imagine you’ll be fine as long as you’re transparent with them. The in-house OH team at GWR are fantastic.
 

Busby

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Thanks guys I realise it may have been covered elsewhere, I appreciate all the help and information here.
 

Applepie356

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If you have been taking it for a while (months, years) then chances are any troublesome side effects would have passed.
 

Busby

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If you have been taking it for a while (months, years) then chances are any troublesome side effects would have passed.
Yeah been on it for years and don’t suffer any side effects, that’s even documented in my medical notes which I have obtained so hopefully that will help me.
 

Chuggachugga92

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Hi I have a question which I would appreciate someone with some experience could possible answer. I have had a conditional offer for rail shunter in Penzance and I only have my medical to go. Problem is I have suffered from severe depression for a number of years and take an anti depressant (SSRI)

I understand for safety critical roles this may and probably will go against me. However I am currently employed by first group in a safety critical role (First Bus) and previous to this also held a safety critical role in health and social care for 6 years.
Will they take it on a case by case basis? I honestly can’t believe I have been offered this opportunity after passing all tests and 2 hour interview and to fall at this hurdle would hurt!

my depression though long standing has no bearing on my work ethic or performance.

if anyone could help me maybe they have had a similar situation and what was their experience I would greatly appreciate it.

I hope I’ve posted this in the right place. (My first post) thanks guys.
I was taking anti depressants fluoxetine mirtazipone citalipram and sertraline while driving trains. Not all at once but throughout a 12 month period and they were fine with it
 

Busby

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I was taking anti depressants fluoxetine mirtazipone citalipram and sertraline while driving trains. Not all at once but throughout a 12 month period and they were fine with it
That’s encouraging for me to hear that they won’t effectively just slam the door shut in my face because I have suffered with depression. Thanks.
 

Chuggachugga92

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That’s encouraging for me to hear that they won’t effectively just slam the door shut in my face because I have suffered with depression. Thanks.
It was actually my FOC that encouraged me to get help and meds because I was being a nightmare at work lol. Fair play to them in that respect they could've fu*ked me off but chose to help me through the relevant channels
 

Floo1977

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Hi, i had a medical with GWR a month ago. Im currently taking a low dose of citalopram. Before i attended the medical i went to my docs and got them to write a letter stating that i suffer no side effects etc and that in their opinion it would pose no issues with drowsiness. I gave the letter to the doctor and he was absolutely fine about it and no problem with passing me. Hope this helps.
 

Busby

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11 Jun 2021
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Penzance
Hi, i had a medical with GWR a month ago. Im currently taking a low dose of citalopram. Before i attended the medical i went to my docs and got them to write a letter stating that i suffer no side effects etc and that in their opinion it would pose no issues with drowsiness. I gave the letter to the doctor and he was absolutely fine about it and no problem with passing me. Hope this helps.
That does help thank you. I have actually requested this from my docs but I wont get the letter in time now but they will contact the doctor for them to confirm hopefully.
 

Mamfa81

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Hey, sorry to jump on your thread, I had my medical yesterday (trainee conductor role) and the clinician didn’t say pass or fail, my blood pressure was a bit high, which I think was down to nerves, and I know I’m a bit overweight but I’m worried now that he didn’t say either way. I wasn’t referred to my gp or anything, he just said wait for the report to work through the system.
 

pdeaves

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Hey, sorry to jump on your thread, I had my medical yesterday (trainee conductor role) and the clinician didn’t say pass or fail, my blood pressure was a bit high, which I think was down to nerves, and I know I’m a bit overweight but I’m worried now that he didn’t say either way. I wasn’t referred to my gp or anything, he just said wait for the report to work through the system.
I assume you did the urine test for drugs. If so, no cause for concern (assuming you're clean!). The sample has to go to a lab for testing, and as the result is an integral part of the medical they can't say either way before the result comes back.
 

Mamfa81

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I assume you did the urine test for drugs. If so, no cause for concern (assuming you're clean!). The sample has to go to a lab for testing, and as the result is an integral part of the medical they can't say either way before the result comes back.
Ah ok, i hadn’t thought of that, thank you. I guess I’m just worried about falling at the last hurdle. Fingers crossed I’ll hear from them shortly.
 

AGJ

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21 Jun 2021
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Ah ok, i hadn’t thought of that, thank you. I guess I’m just worried about falling at the last hurdle. Fingers crossed I’ll hear from them shortly.

Hi Mamfa, have you heard anything back from your medical as of yet?
 

Mamfa81

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Hi Mamfa, have you heard anything back from your medical as of yet?
Hi AGJ, I had a call yesterday from HR to arrange a face to face next week before my start date, so I can only assume everything was fine.

How long does it take to hear back about the results for drugs and alcohol
The alcohol was a breathalyser and the drugs was a urine dip test, unsure if they sent a sample away also.
 

newcastleboy

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Hi AGJ, I had a call yesterday from HR to arrange a face to face next week before my start date, so I can only assume everything was fine.


The alcohol was a breathalyser and the drugs was a urine dip test, unsure if they sent a sample away also.
How long did you wait for them? I had mine on Wednesday morning
 

Eddie77

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18 Jun 2021
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Glasgow
I'm awaiting a date for my medical, would be interested to know what it actually entails if someone who completed one recently could fill me in?

Cheers
 

AGJ

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Hi Eddie,

I had a medical this week. Was in there for around 30mins.

Started with a medical screening form first followed by drug & alcohol test. Then moved on to BP , height & weight then hearing and vision test to finish.

it was fairly relaxed and straightforward.
 
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