Benefits of an honest admission

When assessing an individual's fitness to work the physician must also consider the level of skill and physical and mental capacity required for effective performance of the work, as well as any possible adverse effects of the work, or the work environment, on the employee's health. 3 An audit of all 700 pre-employment questionnaires completed by doctors starting work at Southmead NHS Trust between 1 July 1993 and 30 June 1996 showed that 16 doctors declared a history of mental health problems.