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gwr medical?
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Trainguy90
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I had a medical with another FirstGroup company so I’d guess they probably use the same company to carry out their medicals so will most likely send you to the nearest to you
The medical is done in one day and you can request to have the results sent to you before the company but ultimately other than the drugs test you’ll have a good idea if you’ve passed or not on the day
The medical is done in one day and you can request to have the results sent to you before the company but ultimately other than the drugs test you’ll have a good idea if you’ve passed or not on the day
tiptoptaff
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They conduct medicals in either Reading, Swindon or Plymouth
If it’s for a non safety critical role, then it’s more or less just fill in a medical questionnaire and pee in a pot for Drugs screening.
Safety critical role medical will involve the usual stuff like eyesight test etc.
GWR use their own Occupational Health staff. The office in Reading is about 2 minutes walk from the Station.
Safety critical role medical will involve the usual stuff like eyesight test etc.
GWR use their own Occupational Health staff. The office in Reading is about 2 minutes walk from the Station.
Do Gwr help with travel costs to get to these medicals
LeGrimpeur
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I was issued a travel pass for mine
I was told I’d be issued a travel pass but it never materialised (I didn’t chase it up though). I was contacted by someone from SWR to book me in too (I currently work for SWR but that shouldn’t have a bearing on who sends the emails as I used my personal email too rather than SWR one), so I guess SWR/GWR work together on this to an extent? They don’t use the same locations, as SWR conduct their Medicals in London.
I drove to Swindon for mine as it was easier than the train. I’d have done the same even if I’d received a travel pass.
C J Snarzell
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I thought I'd ask this question on this thread as it deals with the medical process.
I'm interested to know about the screening for drugs and alcohol at a medical. Obviously, I have never done drugs but I do enjoy a few pints at my local.
I do appreciate most, if not all jobs in the rail industry do screening for drugs and alcohol. I would assume the purpose of the random alcohol test is to check if you are potentially over the legal drink drive limit which is 35 microgrammes. A friend of mine works in the gas industry and I'm sure he said his employers have a zero policy which means you cannot have any microgrammes of alcohol in your system even if you are well below 35.
Going back to my original question, I know alcohol can stay in your system for up 36 hours after your last drink (depending of course the volume of alcohol you last consumed). I know alcohol toxins can stay in your system for up to a fortnight (14 days) after your last drink.
How thorough is the medical on this? Do you need to abstain from any alcohol for more than two weeks prior to a medical?
I'm just applying for a couple of railway jobs and I wanted to just get the heads up of what to expect if I get as far as the medical process.
Regards C J
I'm interested to know about the screening for drugs and alcohol at a medical. Obviously, I have never done drugs but I do enjoy a few pints at my local.
I do appreciate most, if not all jobs in the rail industry do screening for drugs and alcohol. I would assume the purpose of the random alcohol test is to check if you are potentially over the legal drink drive limit which is 35 microgrammes. A friend of mine works in the gas industry and I'm sure he said his employers have a zero policy which means you cannot have any microgrammes of alcohol in your system even if you are well below 35.
Going back to my original question, I know alcohol can stay in your system for up 36 hours after your last drink (depending of course the volume of alcohol you last consumed). I know alcohol toxins can stay in your system for up to a fortnight (14 days) after your last drink.
How thorough is the medical on this? Do you need to abstain from any alcohol for more than two weeks prior to a medical?
I'm just applying for a couple of railway jobs and I wanted to just get the heads up of what to expect if I get as far as the medical process.
Regards C J
It’s zero on the railway too I’m led to believe (For safety critical roles at least). For Jon-Safety critical roles they don’t test for alcohol, just drugs.
They test urine for drugs and alcohol rather than breath, so you’re right that it can stay in the system for some time. I drink maybe a bottle a night, and rarely go to the pub. I went ‘cold turkey’ for about 48-hrs, although the general consensus is, as long as you’ve not just been on a massive session, lay off the alcohol the night before the medical, or up to 24 hrs before. I’m a bit OCD and overthink things, which is why I gave it a clear two days. As I said though, I never really binge. I’m pretty sure even if a bottle of 330ml Sol did show up 48 hours after drinking it, it would be so marginal that for the sake of a medical, it wouldn’t be a problem.
I think the view is once you have a railway job, don’t drink within 12 hours of your shift generally speaking. Again, it’s common sense. If you’re in your local ‘spoons at 2300hrs the night before your shift, which starts at 1300hrs and are on a session, this is a risky business and I’d not recommend it, even with over 12-hours between.
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EBlackadder
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Railway limit is 13 micrograms per 100ml of breath - almost 2/3 lower than the drink drive limit. It means you can drive into work perfectly legally and end up getting sacked (and possibly prosecuted).
RIS-8070-TOM
RIS-8070-TOM
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I have heard some use a breathalyser. I’m not sure at what stage the urine is tested for alcohol though (whether it’s the dip test that they also carry out, or once in the lab?).
I do drink but only on special occasions like Christmas birthdays weddings and funerals I might drink a couple of bottles of Budweiser but I don’t go out and get absolutely smashed
I’m the same....my next visit to the pub will probably be my leaving drinkies no doubt....but there’s over a week between that and starting driver training so I can have a few
I've got mine booked for Swindon in July. At the gwr clinic.
It takes about an hour. The wait for results is about a week. You won’t get specific notification that the Medical was passed, but will just be sent a formal offer, which equates to the same thing really.
C J Snarzell
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Thanks for the updates.
I've not done a job medical since I joined the police in 2003.
I can't remember certain things but I do remember the doctor had a rainbow type chart that gave an average height against weight ratio. I remember he said my ideal weight was something like 11 stone as a 6 foot male. I've never been anywhere near that weight as an adult and one of my police friends is a ex-professional body builder at 5'8'' and 15 stone so I can imagine he would be classed as obese when in fact he's packed full of muscle with little fat!!!
Aside from that, I was just interested in the blood test. I don't know how intrusive the test results are and whether they can find out about your liver function results which may give an indication of your true alcohol consumption. Like I said, I believe the human body takes a fortnight to cleanse itself of alcohol toxins even though you would blow zero on a breathalyser after a couple of days abstinence. I'm just curious to know whether or not you should stay away from any alcohol for a good couple of weeks prior to a medical.
I'm sure many railway employees drink responsibly and stay safe but clearly a medical is different from just doing a routine screening test in the workplace.
C J
I've not done a job medical since I joined the police in 2003.
I can't remember certain things but I do remember the doctor had a rainbow type chart that gave an average height against weight ratio. I remember he said my ideal weight was something like 11 stone as a 6 foot male. I've never been anywhere near that weight as an adult and one of my police friends is a ex-professional body builder at 5'8'' and 15 stone so I can imagine he would be classed as obese when in fact he's packed full of muscle with little fat!!!
Aside from that, I was just interested in the blood test. I don't know how intrusive the test results are and whether they can find out about your liver function results which may give an indication of your true alcohol consumption. Like I said, I believe the human body takes a fortnight to cleanse itself of alcohol toxins even though you would blow zero on a breathalyser after a couple of days abstinence. I'm just curious to know whether or not you should stay away from any alcohol for a good couple of weeks prior to a medical.
I'm sure many railway employees drink responsibly and stay safe but clearly a medical is different from just doing a routine screening test in the workplace.
C J
The BMI (height/weight) isn’t an accurate measure for the reason you mentioned. However, if it is far as opposed to muscle, like me, they’ll probably advise accordingly
like I said, no need to go over the top. 48 hours at most if you’re a bit of an over thinker like me. We’re all human.
There shouldn't be a blood test.
M Fishplate
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Just had a safety-critical medical; they tested eyesight, colour vision, hearing, blood pressure/pulse and height/weight. Took a urine sample for drugs (apparently they don't test for alcohol, but why take chances?). Very nice people, reassured me that all was well and promised to process the sample ASAP; should hear back by Friday.
They test for alcohol for trainee drivers, in addition to the items you mentioned. This is not necessarily the case for all medicals. Trainee drivers also have an ECG carried out.
I had a trainee medical on Thursday
Height
Weight
Short distance vision
Long distance vision
Colour blindness
Hearing
Blood pressure
Breathalyser
ECG
Urine test
Urine test, immediate test/results for proteins, ketones and blood in your pee. If that’s clear then it’s all good.
Then they send your pee off to be drug screened/toxins so I would guess it’s to check the level of drinking you may do as well as drugs.
Let’s be honest, you would have to be an absolute fool to drink the night before a medical, so I’d guess 99.9% would abstain from it, however, would the 99.9% stay clear for two weeks? Doubtful. They can probably assess quite easily how much/how often you drink from their tests. She wanted to know if I had taken anything in the last 14 days, even paracetamol
Height
Weight
Short distance vision
Long distance vision
Colour blindness
Hearing
Blood pressure
Breathalyser
ECG
Urine test
Urine test, immediate test/results for proteins, ketones and blood in your pee. If that’s clear then it’s all good.
Then they send your pee off to be drug screened/toxins so I would guess it’s to check the level of drinking you may do as well as drugs.
Let’s be honest, you would have to be an absolute fool to drink the night before a medical, so I’d guess 99.9% would abstain from it, however, would the 99.9% stay clear for two weeks? Doubtful. They can probably assess quite easily how much/how often you drink from their tests. She wanted to know if I had taken anything in the last 14 days, even paracetamol
I was also told that she had signed me off as fit for the role, so long as the drug screening comes back clear.
I have a high bmi. 34.7 but she was happy with that as I showed all the signs of being a fit healthy specimen.
So hopefully, I get the all clear and a start date soon.
Never taken drugs so the screening should just be a formality
I have a high bmi. 34.7 but she was happy with that as I showed all the signs of being a fit healthy specimen.
So hopefully, I get the all clear and a start date soon.
Never taken drugs so the screening should just be a formality
Which TOC is that for?
Cheers, I know you’ve said before but I lose track haha. Strange how some TOCs use a breathalyser too? I assume they still check for alcohol as part of the urine sample?
Echoing my comment above about drinking I sometimes go out with my dad for a meal and have a drink I don’t get to see my dad that often he lives in Northamptonshire I live in Devon
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