Blood Pressure (BP)
Your blood pressure must be within a safe range in order to undertake the Fitness Test and for employment as a Prison Officer. If your BP is found to be equal to or greater than 170/100, at either the upper figure (systolic) or lower figure (diastolic) or both, you will have it taken on two occasions more than 15 minutes apart. If your BP remains on or above 170/100, you will be advised to see your GP for monitoring and treatment of this and will not be allowed to proceed to fitness testing or employment as a Prison Officer, as BP at this level is considered too high.
Vision
If your vision fails to meet the Prison Service standard (Snellen 6/12 in each eye, aided by spectacles/contact lenses if necessary) you will not be permitted to proceed to the Fitness Test at this time. The screening nurse will issue you with a letter for you to take to your Optician and a pre-addressed envelope. The letter asks the optician to correct your vision to 6/12 where possible and to report back to the Prison Service whether you now meet or fail to meet the standard, any costs incurred will be met by you. It is advisable that you keep a copy of the report and send the original (in the addressed envelope provided) to the Shared Service Centre in Wales within 28 days if you are successful with the Recruitment Assessment day.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Your BMI will be calculated against a chart, which divides your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared. BMI is not considered as a factor on its own and there is no single standard you are required to meet as such, but if your BMI falls outside of the range 19-35 it will be considered, along with any health problems you have, by an Occupational Health Advisor (OHA) who will form an opinion as to your fitness to undertake the Fitness Test and for employment as a Prison Officer. A BMI outside of the range 19 - 35 is not necessarily a bar to employment or Fitness Testing as a factor on its own, unless combined with health problems – the OHA will take all the factors into account and make this decision. If your BMI is the only factor of note, this should not bar you from Fitness Testing or employment.
The Occupational Health Advisor's (OHA) review of your health questionnaire and screening tests
If you are successful at RAD, have passed your fitness test and been attached to a potential vacancy, the OHA will review your health questionnaire and screening results and will note any optician's report awaited. If necessary the OHA will telephone you to explore any health issues which may be of relevance to your fitness for employment. If the further investigation into your health is believed necessary the OHA may do one or more of the following:
- Write to your GP/ consultant (with your signed consent only)
- Refer you to see an OHA for a face to face appointment (unlikely but possible)
- Refer you to an Occupational Health Physician
Medical confidentiality
All the health information you provide on your health questionnaire, the results of your medical tests and any doctor's reports provided to HMPS will only be seen by health care practitioners providing an Occupational Health Service to the Prison Service and all such information will be maintained confidentially in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998. The occupational health service will, however, use the information to form the basis of advice to HMPS on your fitness to carry out the role of Prison Officer; such advice will be given in broad terms only. Any health information sought from your GP or specialist will be entirely relevant to your fitness for employment as a Prison officer and used solely to form an opinion on this basis - all such information will be sought with your knowledge and your written, signed consent only and within the requirements of the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988.
