Health

In this section you should declare any health, disability or welfare concerns that may have an impact on your ability to work as a foundation doctor. As an employee, you have rights under the Equality Act 2010.

Employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees to ensure that they can continue to work. The question of what is reasonable is a legal one that ultimately is decided by tribunals and courts, but your receiving foundation school will want to work with your employer to ensure that any reasonable adjustments you require can be made.

To do this, they will need to know what types of adjustments you will require so they can prepare a suitable training placement for you. Remember, this will not impact upon which foundation school you have been allocated to. The adjustments you require may impact on the type of placements you are assigned to as there will be some working environments where it is easier to provide adjustments than others.

You do not have to declare the specific medical condition that you have but you do need to be clear about any impact it might have on your training. Foundation schools need to know whether you will require any adjustments including time away from work to attend medical appointments.

Examples of the type of information you should declare and the way you could describe this

I have dyslexia and will require additional time to complete the written components of the e-portfolio and require coloured films for computer screens to enable me to use IT systems.

I have an impairment that impacts on my mobility, and I need to be allocated to accessible sites.

I am in weekly therapy for treatment of a mental health condition. I will require protected time for the first X months of foundation training to attend therapy.

Examples of the types of adjustments foundation schools and employers may be able to put in place

Ensuring placements are in particular locations to aid access to support services or specific medical practitioners.

Modifying working hours to ensure that trainees can take regular rest breaks.

Providing additional equipment such as a stool with wheels so the trainee doesn’t need to stand for ward rounds.

If a trainee is unable to use a pen and paper foundation schools may be able to provide placements that use electronic systems so they can type rather than write up notes.