Dear Brigid,
Fitness to practice (i.e. protection of the public) overrides the DDA. However, qualifications bodies should take the DDA into account when looking at their professional standards.
The Health/Life/Medicine Faculty at my uni takes the view that failure to disclose anything which may bring about fitness to practice issues is fraud, so failure to disclose may result in the student being asked to leave.
From a student perspective, you will have to prove that you are 'fit to practice', so it's much better to start this process as you begin university (no point in accruing debt for 3 years then finding out that you're unfit because you didn't disclose something). You can't be sent out on placement in some subjects without health forms etc. being filled in (and for some courses, you need to fill out a health form to even start the course). There may also be insurance issues.
The other level that I have found disclosure helpful on as a student, is that I can actually explain (e.g.), 'Sorry, I've just started new medication which is affecting me like this...so I don't think that I should be trying to do x/y/z'; I can do this without feeling a complete nuisance (as on non-related A-levels where the response has been, 'you're telling us because....?)
Dear all,
I am sure you all know a lot about this, but I have recently started working somewhere that offers different types of courses from my previous institution such as teaching and other vocational courses and such. I do not know much about 'Fit to Practice' issues - how does it sit with the DDA? Also, one course asks students to fill in a health questionnaire and again I wonder how this fits with the DDA. Apologies for my ignorance - can anyone help?
Brigid
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Brigid Callaghan
Senior Disability Adviser
Student Services
University of Bolton
Deane Rd
Bolton
BL3 5AB
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