Health question 2: Conditions affecting study or practice

We only need to know about concerns that led to a formal process

If someone raised a concern about how your health, or management of a serious communicable disease, affected your studies or work, and that led to a formal process, it usually means you needed to take action to stay fit to work as a doctor or continue your studies. We need to know about it, so we can check how you are now.

What you need to tell us about serious communicable diseases

A serious communicable disease is a disease that could result in serious illness if you pass it onto someone else. Having a serious communicable disease, is not itself, a reason for us to have concerns about your fitness to practise.

We don’t need you to tell us you have a serious communicable disease, unless a medical school, university or employer raised concerns about how you managed the condition, or about its impact on your ability to study or work as a doctor, that led to a formal process.

What we consider is the risk you could pass it to a patient or a colleague and whether you are following independent medical advice. For more information, read our guidance about managing risks posed by your health in paragraphs 77-80 of Good medical practice.

What do we mean by ‘raise concerns about how a health condition affected your ability to work as a doctor or study medicine’?

A medical school, university or an employer usually raises concerns if they think a health condition, including a long-term condition or serious communicable disease, affected your ability to work as a doctor or study. Here are some examples a medical school, university or an employer could raise concerns about how your health condition affected your ability to study or work as a doctor:

• someone raised a concern because they were concerned or thought you behaved unprofessionally because your health condition affected you
• someone raised a concern because your health condition affected your ability to perform your role as a doctor or your duties on clinical placement whilst studying medicine
• someone raised a concern because you failed parts of your medical course or missed deadlines more than once.

What do we mean by a ‘formal process’?

We consider these bullet points to be part of a formal process:

• a formal meeting with an educational supervisor at university or medical school, in which they raise concerns
• a formal meeting with a manager or supervisor in a workplace where you are providing medical services, in which they raise concerns
• a referral to a panel, hearing, committee or similar.

Outcomes of a formal process can include:

• a formally document decision (in writing or by email) following any of the above that requires you to improve how you manage your condition
• any action taken, including health-related conditions imposed or undertakings agreed on your practice, if your behaviour or performance was affected by your health.

If a concern led to any of the bullet points above, you need to tell us about it when you apply.

Disabilities 

We believe that disabled medical students and doctors should be welcomed to the profession and valued for their contribution in healthcare. Having a disability doesn’t stop you practising medicine safely. The legal definition of a disability covers a range of conditions, including mental health conditions if they meet the criteria of the definition. We don’t need you to tell us if you have a disability, unless a medical school, university or employer raised concerns about how you managed the condition, or about its impact on your ability to study or work as a doctor, that led to a formal process. 

You can read our guidance for medical students and doctors with disabilities.

Serious communicable diseases

You don’t need to tell us about time-limited, acute illnesses like chicken pox, measles, colds, flu or other conditions that resolve quickly on their own or with medical treatment.

You don’t need to tell us if you know or suspect you have COVID-19. You should follow the current public health advice.

A formal process to adjust your studies or practice where no concerns have been raised

If you need to adjust your studies or practice because of a health condition, your medical school or employer will usually agree suitable adjustments to support you and allow you to continue to practise or study safely, for example, working or studying less than full time. In these circumstances we don’t need you to tell us about this when you apply. You only need to tell us if concerns were raised that your health condition affected your studies or practice or concerns were raised about how you managed a health condition. 

Informal communication about a health condition

It is normal for your medical school or manager/supervisor to talk to you or email you informally after you’ve been unwell to make sure you’re well enough to return to work or study. We don’t consider this to be raising a concern and you don’t need to tell us about this when you apply.

Informal support processes

Sometimes your medical school or employer will support you with a health condition informally. This can take various forms, including offering you additional support to return to work or study after a period of absence due to a health condition. We don’t consider this support to be a formal process and you don’t need to tell us about this when you apply.

If concerns were raised about how your health affected your medical practice or studies, answer yes to health question 2 on your application and give the following details:

• what the condition is or was and how it affected you and your medical studies or medical practice
• details of the formal process including, who was involved and what the outcome was
• dates (for example, April-May 2020) when your health condition affected your medical studies or medical practice
• details of any treatment you’ve received (including any engagement with specialists or support services)
• the status of the condition now (for example, resolved, being managed, treatment is ongoing).

Where the concern related to a serious communicable disease, in addition to the above, you also need to give us the following details:

• the name of the serious communicable disease you have
• whether you have received independent medical advice and if you have, what treatment plan you are following
• whether you told your current or future employer, or your medical school/university if you had the condition while studying
• whether you have received and are following the advice of your medical school or employer to minimise any risk to patients and colleagues.

Does having a health condition mean you will have concerns?

Having a health condition (including a long-term condition or serious communicable disease) is not, itself, a reason for us to have concerns about your fitness to practise. What we consider is whether your health condition affects your ability to practice as a doctor or perform your duties on clinical placement whilst studying medicine. Even if your health condition is serious, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t practise safely.

I’m still not sure whether I need to tell you about a health condition that has affected my study of medicine or work as a doctor. What should I do?

Use our 'What to tell us when you apply' tool to help you decide whether to tell us about your condition. If you’ve used the tool and you’re still not sure get in touch with one of our advisers.