NO2ID

Hello,
I have a History of Mental Illness, which mostly relates to a few years in my late teens/early twenties-I'm now 25. In the past I've usually declared my 'disability' when making applications, but I suspect this might not always be wise, and have been considering the issue of when and when not to declare. Whcih kind of lead me to the question-

Would having previously been sectioned under the Mental Health Act show up on an enhanced CRB check?

In my case this is once under Section 2 (two doctors in a hospital setting), and once under section 136 (by the police, because I was suicidal). I also spent time in hospital voluntarily, and was once picked up by the police, then transferred to voluntarily, hospital. So quite a bit, which could make me appear more disturbed than I actually was if you don’t have background information to those situations.
I understand from the CRB website that this would not appear on a standard check, but ended up going round in circles trying to find out if it might be disclosed during an enhanced check. I’ve no immediate need to know-my planned career is unlikely to require a check-but I’m starting to think I’d immediately discount any job requiring one. Though I get the impression the check would only take place once I had accepted the offer of a job, and that there would be protect from the disability discrimination act, I’m still worried by the impression the information disclosed might give.

Sorry to raise so many issues in one post, my main questions are- whether this information would be disclosed and how detailed in might be, whether I’d have any say over the level of detail, and whether I’d be informed (before or after) what had been disclosed.
Thanks

Hi Guest - I will make an educated guess here, and am sure that others will correct me if I'm wrong. My guess is:

I don't think the NHS records will show up on the enhanced CRB, but anything held by the police will (whether on the national computer, or at local stations). So anytime the police were involved, then those occasions would show up on an enhanced CRB, provided they recorded your details correctly at the time. And if you apply to be registered by the ISA then an enhanced CRB will be run.

If the O.P. was not arrested (i.e. detained due to suspicion of involvement in a crime), accused of a crime, or charged with one then surely the Police cannot justify passing on information about his/her section 136 detention to a prospective employer.

The whole point of an 'enhanced criminal records check' is to detect involvement in crime which didn't result in a conviction, not to pass on irrelevant defamatory information.

Perhaps the O.P. should apply for a job which will require an enhanced check and if this information is passed on s/he could kick up a fuss about it and get the Police to change their policy...

It is always a difficult one, there really should be an opportunity like with our credit rating to get a true understanding of what would show up on an enhanced CRB with only a minimal fee and no hassle.

You would indeed have a level of protection from the disability act and employers are not allowed to discriminate due to health reasons, although should they make an offer and then go to a enhanced CRB check normally in the terms of their offer it will say the offer is subject to passing suitable checks i.e. CRB.

I don't think it is something you want to mention up front but should you get to the enhanced CRB stage with a potential employer it would probably be beneficial in raising it with them and being honest, rather than them finding out through the checks.