Advice for Candidates

Candidates must bring the following:

• Proof of identification. This must be in the form of photographic ID, such as a passport or driver’s licence. We cannot carry out tests without this ID.
• Your National Insurance number, ie.  your National Insurance card or a pay slip with your National Insurance number on it.

You will be asked about the following information when attending a medical examination:

• Any recent and/or regular medication?
• Any side-effects from medication?
• Any history of drug and/or alcohol abuse?
• Any history of diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure, heart disease/“mini stroke” or serious illnesses?
• Any operations?
• Any previous episodes of dizziness, giddiness, collapse and/or loss of consciousness?
• Any vertigo (“the room spinning around you”)?
• Any history of hearing difficulties?  Do you wear a hearing aid?
• Any history of eyesight problems?  Do you wear glasses/contact lenses?
• Any history of asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and/or breathing problems.
• Any impaired concentration?
• Any joint and/or muscle problems? If so, to what extent do they affect your general agility/mobility?
• Any history of psychiatric illness (e.g. depression) and/or psychological problems?

 
Please remember to bring your glasses/contact lenses with you.

Hearing aids cannot be worn during the examination (rail medicals only)

You will be asked these questions in a professional and confidential manner by a trained nurse or doctor.

Your examination will include an eye test, colour vision test, hearing test, blood pressure measurement and pulse reading, a urine sample (cf : diabetes screen) and a simple general examination. In some cases a straight forward breathing test is also carried out.

If you are worried that you may not be fit enough to pass a medical examination, then please telephone our office and ask to speak, in confidence, with one of the medical team.

Individuals attending drug & alcohol screenings must provide a sample of their urine for analysis during the appointment.  The sample will be tested for the following drug groups:

• Alcohol
• Amphetamine
• Cocaine
• Benzodiazepines
• Cannabis
• LSD (London Underground only)
• Opiates
• Methadone
• Propoxyphene
• Barbiturates (London Underground only)

In order to ensure that an unadulterated sample of your urine is analysed certain chain of custody procedures must be followed.  You will first be asked to show photographic identification, which will be checked.  You will then be given a plastic cup and asked to provide a sample of urine in an adjoining facility.  Please ensure the cup is at least half full.

Three tubes will be filled from your sample.  New caps will be placed on each tube. You will be asked to sign three seals, which will then be placed over the caps of the tubes.  These seals are tamper evident. If these are removed they cannot be replaced and the sample will not be accepted for testing.  The sample contained in one of the tubes is used to carry out the analysis.  The second tube will be used if the sample goes for further analysis. The third tube will be stored for a week in the case of negative results or one year if the results from the first tube are positive.

You will be asked for details of any medication taken in the past 7 – 14 days.  Please tell the nurse/doctor about any of the following:

• Medicines prescribed by your G.P.
• Medicines prescribed by hospital staff (e.g. casualty department, outpatient department).
• Medicines prescribed by your dentist.  Please mention any dental injections that were administered to you.
• All “over–the-counter” medicines that you have taken (e.g. non-prescription pain killers, cough mixtures, throat lozengers).

These details will be placed on the chain of custody form along with other details such as name, sex and date of birth.  Once these details have been completed you will be asked to sign the declaration giving your consent to test the sample.  This form will be placed in the pouch of the sample transport bag, the sample placed in the bag and the bag sealed in your presence. Your sample will not be analysed without your consent.

You are invited to ask the attending nurse/doctor for any other information that you feel is relevant to your medical and/or drug & alcohol test.