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Army medical appeal

Meg_1998

In 2013 I had a incident that was dealt with within 24 hours, and not diagnosed as mental health. I have been 3, almost 4 years clear on my medical so the army told me to apply 19th December 2017. After applying I have been rejected twice, my GP cannot understand why as the rejection letter does not fit my case, I’m fit and healthy medically and physically. I have one more chance to apply can anyone suggest a mental health assessor as I am willing to pay for two professional reports as evidence to support my appeal. My doctor thinks that they just need a signature on a piece of paper to say I am fit and well.

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Reply 1

Surnia

Before you go spending money, what are you hoping to achieve from involving mental health assessors? I don't mean in terms of just overturning the rejection, but how you hope to go about it. Can it be shown that the information about this incident is inaccurate or that there is more detail that would put it in a different context?

You consider yourself fit and healthy now, but it needs more than just stating that. There is something in your medical history that is of concern to the Army, so to stand any chance of a successful appeal you need to try and convince them that whatever happened won't affect you or reoccur in future.

Bear in mind that some medical conditions/situations will always stop you from joining, so it may still be a no.

Reply 2

Meg_1998

The army said two or more incidents of low mood, I’ve only had one and it was resolved in 24 hours, it happened almost 4 year ago and in the meantime my medical has been clear since the army asked for me to apply again after 3 years. The incident was low mood and evaluated by doctors at the time which stated I was at low risk and the factors were bullying which took place at school and the school were aware of. What kind of evidence would help support my case, thank you.

Reply 3

Surnia

It's really just what you've said there. Get your doctor or whoever was involved in your assessment to present the facts of your situation. If you have anything in writing from the Army or can refer to their medical standards, do so, especially about reapplying. The medical standards don't vary that much, so it's ok to use that even though it was 3 years ago. Just be careful of anything that is anecdotal; 'a recruiter told me...' can't be proved. Good luck.

Reply 4

AurianHilldrup

Get as much evidence from health specialists as you can, mental health is a tricky one in the forces. A girl on my selection who said she'd been clear of anything for atlas 6 years got differed for another 2 years. Good luck with your appeal/application! I'm fighting a rejection myself due to my eyesight (at the time of my selection) not being good enough however my optician confirmed it's good enough now so got him to write me a letter and sent off my appeal. Just waiting to hear back now and I'm bricking it. Another option would be to start an application for one of the other forces in the meantime?

Reply 5

username2277483

Original post by AurianHilldrup

hey im appealing my medical for the raf! childhood cancer!!! been 10 months since i started my appliction! not giving up as i know im fit for service just waiting to hear something in the next few weeks,so nervous!! i thought the medicals were the same for all three services? correct me if im wrong!

Reply 6

AurianHilldrup

Original post by william hart

I'm pretty sure it depends on the medical condition like there will be some medical conditions (e.g. severe heart murmurs) that will be the same on all 3 but I know eyesight is different! (I've also got an application for the RAF going in the meantime incase the army say no) but I'm sure if you can get a health professional to write you a letter declaring you medically fit and you've been without treatment for a certain number of years who are they to say no? They can't question a health professionals opinion. Were you declared as P8?

Reply 7

Meg_1998

I’ve checked the RAF guidelines and my case fits them better, I can’t deal with the upset of being rejected 3 times, it’s my dream as cringe as this sounds, however being a medic in the RAF has better career opportunities for me as they push you to do paramedic science, which is my future goal. All the best with your appeal, and thank you for the advice!

Reply 8

Surnia

Original post by Meg_1998

They are only guidelines, though, and give limited information as they can't cover every possibility. Ultimately, all 3 branches of the Armed Forces work from the same publication for medical standards and a no from one can also be a no from the other 2.

Reply 9

Surnia

Original post by AurianHilldrup

[ul]
[li]I'm pretty sure it depends on the medical condition like there will be some medical conditions (e.g. severe heart murmurs) that will be the same on all 3 but I know eyesight is different! (I've also got an application for the RAF going in the meantime incase the army say no) but I'm sure if you can get a health professional to write you a letter declaring you medically fit and you've been without treatment for a certain number of years who are they to say no? They can't question a health professionals opinion. Were you declared as P8?[/li]
[/ul]

'They' can question a health professional's opinion because 'they' are trained and qualified doctors in the Armed Forces who make the final decision! Medical appeals usually require new evidence that entries on a medical record are incorrect or incomplete. It's not always that saying "I'm healthy now" is enough; the fact of having had certain conditions will stop you from joining the services because of the standards to which entrants can be held.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 10

Surnia

Original post by william hart

All 3 services do work to the same publication for medical standards. You join up as a "warfighter first" so some conditions will stop you from joining any branch. However, each individual role will have some flexibility, like the eyesight requirements for pilot being more stringent than other jobs. Childhood cancer is assessed on a case-by-case basis, so it is just a matter of waiting on the response to your appeal.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 11

AurianHilldrup

Original post by Surnia

'They' can question a health professional's opinion because 'they' are trained and qualified doctors in the Armed Forces who make the final decision! Medical appeals usually require new evidence that entries on a medical record are incorrect or incomplete. t's not always that saying "I'm healthy now" is enough; the fact of having had certain conditions will stop you from joining the services because of the standatds to which entrants can be held.

I doubt a doctor would question an opticians opinion as opticians are eye specialists and doctors aren’t (an example), worked in my case anyway capita doctor declared me as a P8 however I won my appeal due to my optician writing a letter, my recruiter said said all i needed was a letter from my optician as he’s an eye specialist and it worked soooo
Also they’re not armed forces doctors they work for CAPITA, work with the forces not for them!

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 12

Surnia

Original post by AurianHilldrup

Capita doctors do the medicals, military doctors are on the appeal boards. They are capable of reviewing the data they are given.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 13

Rebeccaree

Hi how did your appeal go? My sons application got rejected

Reply 14

deanomontano

If your mentally unstable i wouldn't suggest the army as a job

Reply 15

Rebeccaree

Hi I’ve just done a post if you could comment and help me on my post please

Original post by deanomontano

If your mentally unstable i wouldn't suggest the army as a job

Reply 16

Afriscot

My son got rejected for chronic back pain, letter from the physio said it was a muscle pain from when he fell off his bike. Surely as his mother I would know if he had chronic back pain. Especially when he has never even take a painkiller for a pain in his back. Now we have to apeal. Such a long process when they just want to start their careers.

Reply 17

Surnia

Original post by Afriscot

Thing is, it's not just knowing about a physical condition, it's knowing what is contained in medical records; some people get rejections because there is something written down about which they had no idea. However, a good starting point for an appeal is showing information in the records is incomplete or incorrect.