Occupational Health Check
Congratulations on accepting your offer to study medicine at the University of Nottingham or Lincoln Medical School.
Next steps...
Now you've accepted your offer you'll need to complete a pre-course health assessment.
We need to be aware of any health conditions you have. All information will be carefully reviewed before it is confirmed you can start your course, and where possible all reasonable support will be provided.
Optima Health, our Occupational Health provider, will contact you about this. There are two main stages of clearance:
- Fitness to Study - to assess whether you’re fit to be on the course prior to starting
- Immunisation Cleared - to ensure you are fit to attend any placements once you have started the course. More information related to this will be sent to you closer to September as this varies from early years placements to the clinical years.
Fitness to study
Before you can begin the course
- you must complete the online Pre Placement Questionnaire (PPQ) in full. You must declare all medical conditions both past and present and provide evidence of your vaccination status (including Covid-19 vaccinations) to be uploaded and submitted with your completed health questionnaire. Please ensure you have this to hand before completing the questionnaire.
- On receipt of the completed form, your responses will be clinically triaged by a nurse. The form will be assessed for any disabilities or health conditions that could be relevant to your course future registration, and employment.
- If on clinically reviewing your health questionnaire, the nurse decides that further assessments are required, an appointment will be arranged for you. This appointment will either be by telephone or video.
- At this appointment, the nurse will discuss any health issues you have disclosed, both past and present. They will decide if you meet the criteria to be deemed fit to practice. You should allow 45 minutes for this appointment.
- Occasionally, there may be a requirement to refer you to the occupational health physician prior to any decision of fitness to train being made.
Immunisation cleared
All students undertaking Exposure Prone Procedures, such as doctors, dentists, nurses, and midwives are required to undergo testing to show that they are not carriers of any blood-borne viruses.
- During your induction week, your immunisation history will be reviewed, and a blood test will be taken. The blood test will check if you have been exposed to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. If you're found to be a carrier of any of these infections, you’ll be referred to the occupational health physician for further advice. This appointment will last approximately 30 minutes. **this is the appointment you must attend to be cleared for your first early years gp or hospital visit**
- If needed, the nurse will give you the relevant vaccinations that day (up to two vaccinations may be given at one time in separate arms). Very often, this type of vaccination history is on your GP records or an NHS occupational health service if you’ve worked previously in the NHS. It is helpful if you can obtain a copy of this information before starting the course and bring this with you to the immunisation appointment if you haven’t already submitted this with your health questionnaire.
- The nurse will also confirm your identity before taking blood or giving you vaccinations. Please bring photographic ID with you such as a passport or picture driving licence.
- The Occupational Health Service nursing staff are trained to care for those who may feel anxious about this part of the process. Additional support will be provided where needed. Please feel free to inform the nurse if you do feel nervous or faint. You can lay down whilst we take blood samples.
- At the end of this appointment, a personalised immunisation programme will then be planned for you by the Occupational Health Service. Appointments will be made with you for each subsequent visit you may need. Attending each appointment is very important as it allows us to review your fitness to start placement.
- If you require further information concerning immunisations, please consult the immunisation against infectious diseases (Green Book) or the Department of Health Guidance.
Immunisation and vaccination criteria for fitness to practice
The University of Nottingham will not permit students to begin their practical placements until they have been immunised in accordance with DH recommendations. The current DH recommends the following vaccinations:
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) - We’ll require you to provide evidence of immunity or certification of two MMR immunisations as already given via your GP.
Tuberculosis (TB) - Evidence of a BCG scar, immunity and freedom from TB disease. This is to ensure that both the patient and the student are protected from contracting this disease.
Varicella (Chickenpox) - Verbal history of the disease or blood test confirming immunity, if you have no immunity, you’ll receive the vaccination (if applicable).
Hepatitis B (Hep B) - Immunisation and a blood test to confirm immunity will be offered to all students. This is a course of three Hep B vaccinations. This is given to ensure you are protected from contracting this disease in the event of a ‘needle stick’ or sharps injury.
Hepatitis B, C and HIV - Antibody test for infection will be offered to all students.
How to complete your occupational health questionnaire
TP Health will contact you in the next few weeks from ‘notification@mail.tphealth.co.uk’ with instructions on how to complete the questionnaire.
Please ensure you have read the immunisation, screening and health clearance guidance before completing the questionnaire.
Frequently asked questions
Deadlines
What is the deadline for completing the occupational health questionnaire?
The deadline for completing your occupational health questionnaire is 31 July 2022.
All occupational health questionnaires must be completed prior to starting your course.
If you're joining the Graduate Entry Medicine course, you must have completed the occupational health admissions process prior to the eariler start date of Monday 5 September 2022.
I cannot meet the deadline for the occupational health check
If you're afraid you cannot meet the deadline you have been set, please email us.
Questions about occupational health
I have a question about my health and how it may affect my course, who do I contact?
The occupational health service is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. You can contact them on:
- 01327 810795
- UON@tphealth.co.uk
I do not have any vaccination records/they are lost
TP Health will discuss this with you at your appointment at the start of term and vaccinations will be provided where necessary.
Overseas students and occupational health checks
I am an overseas/EU student living overseas, when do I complete the occupational health questionnaire?
Overseas and EU students must complete the occupational health questionnaire and respond to any queries from the occupational health team before you arrive.
If you have any general questions relating to occupational health checks, please contact us.
General advice and support
If you have a general question about your course or application please email our enquiries team. As a student based at the University of Nottingham or Lincoln Medical School, you'll benefit from a range of advice and support.